End To Serenity
by Michiyami
Summary: When Naruto Uzumaki first enters Konoha High School he is already thrown into its gang wars and troubled relations. He attracts the attention of Sasuke Uchiha, rich kid and residing gang leader... but Naruto's own past isn't too innocent either. SasuNaru.
1. Prologue

Konnichiwa everyone! This is a fic in honour of the oh so adorable pairing of Naruto and Sasuke. I've had this idea for ages, and just couldn't resist turning it into a story. This is a high school fic set in modern times with the Naruto characters.

**Warnings: **Rated M for alcohol, drugs, violence, shounen-ai, sexual scenes and references etc.

**Detailed Summary:**When Naruto Uzumaki first enters Konoha High School as a new senior, he is already thrown into its gang wars and troubled relations. His seemingly innocent demeanor and undeniable traits attracts the attentions of Sasuke Uchiha- rich kid, residing gang leader and fellow classmate. But will Naruto be able to return his own? Having come to Konoha High to seek refuge from his tainted past, Naruto will find that there cannot possibly be a worse place to be for the scenario to unfold than the danger in which he places himself in by staying in Konoha. Akatsuki is after him for reasons even he doesn't remember, and the deadly past he holds with their leader can lead to not only the destruction of his relationship with Sasuke, but perhaps his downfall once more...

**Disclaimer: **Although i dearly wish i do, none of the Naruto characters are owned by me. They are all property of Masashi Kishimoto.

I just hope that you enjoy this story. If you do, you might also like my other Sasunaru fic. Now let the story begin! Note that this is only prologue, so you'll find it extremely _vague_ compared to the chapters that are to come. Plus, coming chapters should be around...3 times longer.

**_I don't want the past...it hurts too much._**

**_I don't want the future...it's too uncertain._**

**_I want only you by my side, now and forever._**

" "- talking

_' '- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter One--**_

_**--Prologue--**_

The busty, blonde haired woman and spiky, white haired man rushed like a hurricane into the emergency ward, both of them gasping for breath and looking thoroughly distressed. As the nurses around them gave them piercing looks of disapproval, Tsunade searched around wildly and then caught sight of a man in a long, white coat. She rushed over to him and immediately grabbed him by the collar, lifting him up into the air.

"Where is he?!" she screamed at him. She shook the man and began to shout profanities at him while she was at it, her worry and desperation taking over. "Speak, you bastard!"

Jiraiya quickly pulled the frantic woman off the poor man then pushed the two a safe distance apart, putting an arm around Tsunade so as to comfort her just as much as to keep her under control. His own face was creased with worry as he scanned the beds around them.

The terrified doctor backed to the wall and pointed a shaking finger to a bed in the corner enclosed by curtains, then was out of there as fast as he could go.

The moment the doctor was gone Tsunade had slapped aside the hand keeping her at bay and ran to the enclosed bed. Her steps slowed as she approached, her breath caught in fear. _'Oh...please be alright…,'_ she thought desperately as she reached the curtains.

Holding her breath, she pulled the curtains aside and hesitantly peeked inside to look at the patient on the bed. She sighed in relief when she saw that the person was bandaged and bruised, but otherwise looked to be only in a deep sleep.

However…the blonde haired teenager on the bed had a number of injuries which were hidden from sight. Upon inspecting the board at the foot of the bed Tsunade realized that he had sustained several injuries to the head, as well as a serious wound to the chest.

Jiraiya had also exhaled deeply when he saw the sleeping boy, and without further ado slumped down in a chair next to the bed. He put his head in his hands and pulled at his white hair in frustration.

Tsunade walked slowly to the head of the bed where the blonde boy's face could be seen in a rare moment of peace. Stroking the golden locks over the bandages on his forehead, Tsunade shook her head sadly and let the salty tears run down her face and into the sleeper's hair.

'_Why do you always have to go through so much…?' _she thought sorrowfully. Her tragic weeping wrung sympathy from the other people in the ward and she let herself cry into the bed sheets. She thought of all those times that he'd fallen and gotten back up, only to fall down harder the next time.

_'Why...?' _

Her fist clenched on the white shets.

_'This is the last time...'_

Slowly straightening up, she let a final tear drop onto the boy's cheek. She wiped determinadly at her eyes and they were shining when she raised her head once more. Jiraiya looked up at her, distracted by this change in demeanour.

_'I'll make sure nothing like this ever happens again,' _Tsunade thought. She tucked the covers more securely around the boy and gently eased the pillow to a better angle. Her hand lingered at his face to caress a healing, scarred cheek.

Bending over, she gave the unconscious teen a kiss on the forehead. _' You _will_ be happy,'_she promised.

* * *

_**-4 months later- February, First day of School**_

The affairs of Konoha High School were kept secret from all outside its borders. Even within the school, some of it's forbidden activities were kept under covers.

The beginning of a new school year brought back a tide of familiar people hanging naturally in their areas as well as some new ones who were nervously playing around with their unfamiliar ties and skirts. The Summer sun smiled down on them all through it's veil of clouds and the bright, green leaves of the trees in the playground waved gracefully in the wind. Meaningless chatter dominated the entrance quad as students congregated there before class began.

The prattle began to disperse suddenly from the gates and all old students instantly knew what that meant. Like a rollover effect a hush fell over the crowd and people began moving back away from the gates. All heads turned in dread to the group of Seniors now walking casually through them as though they owned the school, and which in reality, they just about did.

Sasuke Uchiha and his friends were walking through the crowd towards the school doors, and anyone who put any value in their peaceful lives knew to get out of their way. Sasuke was dressed in the normal Senior uniform, but his navy tie was half undone and several top buttons of his white shirt were unbuttoned. The shirt hung un-tucked over his expensive, black, tailored pants and his side bag was strung casually across his chest. His medium length, raven black hair was swept up stylishly and naturally at the back with the longer locks obscurring his emotionless eyes at the front. On his face was the normal bad tempered glower, but it was, if possible, even worse than normal.

The guys looked at Sasuke with fearful admiration and the girls swooned in their shoes, too afraid to do anything more than gaze longingly at him.

A new kid rushing past in Year 7 made the mistake of bumping into him and faster than anyone could groan, he was picked up and shoved into the wall by Sasuke. The books he'd been holding went crashing to the floor in a heap.

As the unfortunate boy looked dazedly into black eyes over Sasuke's elbow he felt cold, hard, metal be put to his stomach beneath his shirt. A blade. It took him a while to register it but when he did he gasped in disbelief and horror that something like this could be happening in plain sight of everyone, and yet nobody was doing anything to stop it. The students had all backed away from the two and were giving the little brown haired boy piteous looks.

"Name?" Sasuke asked coldly. The group of boys and girls which had entered the school with him were just looking on without doing anything other than appear slightly irritated at the hold up. They'd seen this happen more that once.

"Ha-Haku," he stuttered.

Sasuke smiled cruelly at him and he felt the knife cut ever so slightly into his skin, no more than a scratch but enough to cause pain. Blood was trickling down and he had never felt more terrified in his life. Sasuke put his mouth right next to his ear and whispered very quietly, "Well Haku, I am Sasuke Uchiha, and you'll do good to remember it." His voice was toneless and so cold that Haku almost fainted. "Since you're new around here… I'll let you off this time, and let this be a warning to others. But if it ever happens again…" He pressed the blade threateningly onto Haku's skin again.

Removing his arm and stepping back, Sasuke let Haku fall to the ground where he pulled himself into a ball and looked fearfully up at him.

But Sasuke was over him. Having shoved the bloodied blade and his hands into his pockets out of sight he'd already turned away from him and the spectators and continued walking alone up the steps. Everyone else watched in silence as his bag whipped around the blue doors and he was gone.

Talking struck up again, though everyone was careful as to what they said because Sasuke's companions were still around. Several of these seniors were shaking their heads at each other in disapproval and worry.

"In a bad mood already," sighed Shikamaru. "I guess that vacation did nothing for him."

Ino slapped him over the head. "You think?! You _know_ that he and Itachi-san don't get along well. And they had to be stuck together in a beach-house for almost 3 months…" she shuddered at the very thought, beyond doubt that the unfortunate beach-house had probably been blown off the face of the Earth.

Sakura shook her head in annoyance at her best friend and Shikamaru, this having been the routine for countless mornings. "Come on already, don't you two ever get sick of bickering?" she snapped.

She turned around to everyone else while Shikamaru and Ino glared holes into the back of her head.

Their little group at that moment consisted of herself, Ino, Shikamaru, Kiba, Hinata, Neji and Tenten. Being the more commanding one of them, Sakura would usually be the one to bring order. Beckoning imperiously at them, they followed her rather reluctantly as she paved the path to the school doors over Sasuke's tracks.

When all of them were gone the students who'd been left in their wake finally began conversing freely. It was the first day of the new school year and things were already heating up...

Konoha High had always been an eventful place, but this year would be one to rival them all.

* * *

Reviews are very much loved. If there is any other side pairings you may like, tell me.

Next Chapter- The first day of the new year continues.


	2. First Impressions

Second chapter! Hopefully, you'll like this one and it'll encourage you to keep on reading!

I've only received one other suggestion for a pairing so far and that was Gaara and Neji. I'll try and incorporate that in. (grin)

" "- talking

' '_- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter 2--**_

_**--First Impressions --**_

The unrelenting noise that was the alarm clock struck into Naruto's dreams and pulled him out by the ear. He pushed the 'snooze' button and yawned in all the glory of the sunlight shining in through his window. A foxy grin tugged at his lips and eyes snapped opened to reveal a deep, crystalline blue, as dazzling as a fresh Summer's day.

His blonde hair shined golden in the rays and he squinted at the brightness that stung at his eyes. Rubbing sleepily at them, he winced as he heard a voice carry from downstairs in the kitchen.

"Naruto!" yelled Tsunade. "Come down here NOW! You're not going to be late on your first day, got that?!"

"Be down in a minute!" he shouted back. He smiled as he peered down at the street from his window. _'Bring it, new town.' _

Today was the day, his first day of school in this new town.

He finally bothered to check the alarm clock and his previously unfocused eyes widened as he saw the numbers. "Crap, stupid alarm clock, can't you pick another day to screw me over!?" he exclaimed loudly.

The clock said 8:10am. And school began at 8:30am.

"Not good, not good, not good!"

_'I'm laaattee!'_

He jumped out from beneath the covers and quickly stripped off his blue and orange pajamas. At record speeds he had pulled on the long, black pants, buttoned up the short sleeved white shirt and put on the ridiculous navy tie rather reluctantly. He didn't know why but he didn't like ties. Just something about them…

He grabbed his black sling bag from where it was on his seat and then ran out the room and down the stairs, making a direct beeline towards the front door.

He was just about to run straight out the door too, when a hand grabbed his shoulder. He froze with his hand on the door knob and turned slowly in dread to the woman keeping him back. Brown eyes looked into his own, and Naruto knew that he was not getting there on time.

"Come on," he pleaded, "I'm going to be late! Weren't you the one who told me I needed to make a good first impression?"

Tsunade smiled at him, looking quite amused. "And since when were you such a good little boy? You are not missing breakfast, it's not healthy. And besides, you eat so fast that it wouldn't make much of a difference anyway." Her tone of voice obviously scrutinized the fact that he ate like a person starved.

Naruto groaned. Sometimes, having a doctor for a guardian was not the best thing in the world. Yes, he loved her like a mom, but sometimes she could be so strict. And that was the beginning.

"Fine," he grumbled. He was not tempted to be punched through a wall that early in the morning when he was already late to school.

He pulled his bag off and dumped it on the red couch, and then sat down hurriedly at the wide kitchen table. The table was already piled with some of his most favorite foods, including waffles and ramen. Taking a bowl in one hand and his chopsticks in the other, he rapidly worked his way through three bowls of ramen and an entire plate stacked full of waffles. He swallowed his last bite, leapt from the chair and grabbed his bag again.

"I'm going now!" he called to the figure behind the kitchen counter. He opened the door and was halfway out when it was pulled shut in his face and he felt a cold hand running through the back of his hair.

"No you're not! At least not until your hair and uniform is fixed up!" She made him tuck his shirt into his pants and pull them up higher, as well as helping him do his tie up so tight that it was taking a lot of self restraint to not instinctively throw the darn thing from the house.

"You're making me a bully magnet!" he whined. He tugged rebelliously at the tie on his neck.

"Oh, stop being such a drama queen," Tsunade scowled as she straightened his collar.

"Done yet?" he asked impatiently. He checked his watch. 8:20.

"Almost." Tsunade began pulling her wet hands through Naruto's hair once more and he sighed, tapping his foot restlessly on the timber floor in the hallway and humming a tune.

Tsunade noticed this restlessness, and she remembered that it had not always done good for him in the past.

"Naruto…"

Naruto stopped tapping when he noticed her voice seemed suddenly a lot more quiet and serious.

"Huh?"

"Listen to me…be good ok? Don't get involved with anyone remotely suspicious, and _make sure_ that you're always keeping your guard up."

'_Why does she sound so serious?'_

Naruto turned around and hugged his step-mother affectionately. "It's a _school, _nothing is going to happen. The worse would be I can't make any friends. Stop worrying, you've been doing so much of that lately." When Tsunade still didn't return his hug he joked, "If you keep on going like this, you can buy all the blonde hair dye there is and it still won't cover those hairs."

He glowed when she finally hugged him back. "And if you keep on giving out hugs like that, I'll think that I need to drag you out to my social meetings more often," she said. She was quite an important doctor, and earned enough to keep them pretty well off.

Naruto immediately let go of her and stepped back defiantly. "I'm not going to those!"

Tsunade laughed and returned to fixing up Naruto's hair. Naruto shrieked when he finally realized that the stuff she was pulling through his hair was _sticky._

"What is this?!" He pulled back from Tsunade's hands and dragged his own through his locks. When he looked at them he saw thick, clear goo. "Uh uh. No way. I am _not_ wearing gel!" he screeched.

"And who was the one who wanted to make a good first impression?" Tsunade chided him. Her hands were still covered with the stuff and Naruto shuddered.

"It _stinks! _And who thinks gel looks good anyway?" He gave up trying to get the stuff out and threw his hands up in exasperation. "Gah! Whatever! If I don't go now then their first impression will be I'm some tardy idiot who slept in late!" He finally managed to get out that door and onto the footpath, barely avoiding a stack over the doormat. Without another glance back he began running down the road towards the school.

"Which is entirely true!" Tsunade called cheerfully to him. Only when he was out of sight did she reveal the features of worry which reflected her feelings.

* * *

At Homeroom Sasuke _looked _quite calm as he sat alone at his desk amidst the chaos around him. The girls were all chatting about their holidays and the guys were chucking around paper and trash. The stupid teacher was reading some colorful book which Sasuke more than suspected had no place in a high school.

Beyond his exterior though, he was screaming to get out of there or to otherwise beat every single person up into a pulp. Couldn't people stay quiet?! He could feel his adrenaline escalating, which if wasn't stopped would result in a serious rampage. He grit his teeth and looked out the window, hoping that something would happen to distract him from his epidemic.

_'Damm this.'_

He wasn't always in such a bad mood but who wouldn't be after spending so long alone with his devil of a brother in a beach-house in some unfamiliar town? The teachers had wanted him to spend more quality time with his last family member in the hopes of easing his fiery temper, and what they believed to be a serious problem with his mentality. They hadn't said it like that though, but he knew that was the reason - he'd put a kid in hospital in the last term the year previous.

_'Quality time my ass.'_

Hands wrapped themselves around his neck and this didn't help his temper at all.

"Sakura," he said severely. His voice very clearly made it known that he was not going to put up with her on that morning. "Get off me."

Disappointed, the pink haired girl pulled her arms back and sat down at the desk to the right of Sasuke's with Hinata, Tenten and Ino. Shikamaru, Neji and Kiba then sat down near Sasuke's desk, who braced himself in preparation for the annoying questions sure to come.

"Feeling any better?" Kiba asked for what must have been the hundredth time. Sasuke's withering glare was answer enough and Kiba shrank a little back into his chair.

Neji grinned at Sasuke, not being afraid of him at all. "We're not attacking you, chill."

Shikamaru nodded agreement and closed his eyes as he spoke through a yawn. "If you keep on going like this, then everyone's going to think that Itachi raped you or something."

The others froze, as did Shikamaru. He'd said the fatal name. Sasuke's eyes went colder than ever and the other three decided that it was a good time to give him some quiet time.

They cowardly scampered over to join the girls and Sasuke could hear Sakura and Ino asking infuriatingly whether he was alright. God…if it wasn't for the fact they were girls, his resolve would have gone long ago. Sakura was under the self-procclamation that she was his girlfriend and the only thing stopping Sasuke setting her straight was that Sakura managed to keep the rest of the female population away from him - an exchange which he could bear to take.

The sliding open of the classroom door distracted him from his thoughts and he and the rest of the class turned to the front to see a person walk rather nervously into the classroom. Averting his eyes from the class which was completely focused on him, he walked over to Kakashi and handed him a folded piece of paper.

The boy had blonde hair which had been swept shoddily back into some sort of mullet with gel. His tanned skin was quite flawless, with the exception of some strange markings across the skinny face. He was slightly shorter than average, which against the tall machos at Konoha was basically miniature. Not that Sasuke was macho. He was just more…intimidating.

The blonde's frame wasn't very big either. However…the cerulean blue eyes were what really caught Sasuke's attention. They seemed so big and innocent and bright that they could have been taken for a girl's eyes. But then again, the girl's here weren't so innocent.

A survey of the boy's uniform by the rest of the class resulted in an outbreak of snorts and giggles. His shirt was actually tucked in, something which only geeks would ever do. The folds at the waist gave him a lop-sided kind of figure which only ridiculed him more. The tie was done up like a vicar and it was beyond Sasuke's understanding why he wasn't lying unconscious on the floor from lack of air.

From the teacher's desk a throat was cleared and everyone looked in surprise to Kakashi. Interested as to what would cause the perverted teacher to put his book down, Sasuke gave him half of his attention.

"Quiet down now! Jeez, Year 11s can be so hard…" Sasuke twitched - Kakashi's drawling voice was really annoying.

When the room had quieted down to a fifth of it's normal decibels Kakashi waved a hand towards the blonde boy. "I would like you all to welcome a new student to our school- Naruto Uzumaki. He has come here from a town nearby, and I am hoping you will all accept him."

Sasuke looked as the blonde boy smiled like a kid and then bowed. "Hajimemashite." The voice was melodic, and seemed to hang in the air. He found it captivating.

"You're in the wrong classroom kid!" shouted Kiba. "This is Year 11!"

Kakashi frowned at Kiba and said "Naruto _is_ a Year 11 student, and despite however young you may think he looks he is in fact turning 17 this year."

The class looked in stunned disbelief at both Kakashi and Naruto, who was embarrassed by his presentation. _'Oh man…I knew she overdid the hair and uniform.'_ He'd immediately grasped upon entering the room that no other guys had their shirts tucked in, or their ties done up so tight. And they most certainly didn't have such horrible _stuff_ in their hair.

"But we never accept new students into the senior grades. The classes are suppose to stay fixed," Shikamaru pointed out. "Why him?"

Sakura whispered something to her girlfriends and they all burst out in laughter. Naruto immediately decided that he didn't like her. She was dressed like a slut. The skirt was revealing more than a little of her flesh, and the shirt was much too tight to be acceptable. Her black bra could be seen easily, pressed against her skin by her shirt.

Kakashi pointed Naruto to a desk which he gladly scurried into and then said, "This is…a special case."

"What special case?" Kiba whispered to Shikamaru. "A mental?"

Kakashi sat back down at his table and ignored the questions which were still being thrown at him by his raucous students.

Sasuke turned around to see that Naruto was sitting at the desk to his direct left and was casting his gaze around the room, trying to gather a clear understanding of his surroundings. He noticed Sasuke looking at him and smiled. Sasuke was already bothered by how much he seemed to do that. It was so…naïve.

"Hello. I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Nice to meet you." Naruto said happily. The voice wasn't exactly what Sasuke would call high pitched, but like the kind that singers would have- fluid and ringing. Sasuke suspected that if the boy were to shout, his hearing would be at risk.

He raised his eyebrows at Naruto and said, "The teacher already told us that." He turned around to rectify his earlier mistake of letting Naruto catch him staring at him. He didn't offer to give his name, he knew that sooner or later Naruto would find out for himself.

Naruto frowned slightly at the Uchiha and thought, _'What's up with him?'_

He faced the front and only then did he realize that five HUGE guys had appeared around his table. The biggest and ugliest of them all slammed a hand down on Naruto's desk and the whole classroom became quiet as everyone stopped what they were doing to watch.

"What?" Naruto asked in confusion.

The guy growled and then grabbed his collar. A bit uneasy, Naruto said, "Let go of me." He didn't even know the guy yet here he was being none the friendlier.

The bully smirked and said, "No."

"Well, what do you want then?" Naruto asked, none the wiser.

The guy laughed and the other four laughed with him. He then gave a little rap on Naruto's head with his knuckles. "Don't demand anything of me. I could squash you so easily," he sneered.

Kakashi had finally figured out that something wasn't right and was making his way towards the huddle. A girl whispered warningly to the guy threatening Naruto and he quickly let go and with his set of thugs began walking back to the right of the room. Naruto was left as confused as ever.

As the big one walked by him, Sasuke casually put a foot out and he tripped, going crashing to the floor. His weight shook the small room and he was up and blaring seconds later. Holding onto his bruised nose, he shouted, "What the fuck?!"

He was about to yell some more when he saw Sasuke. Naruto watched in wonder as his face paled to a ghostly shade. He became even more surprised when the guy began bowing profusely to Sasuke who for the whole while merely looked coldly at him from his seat.

_'Does he owe him money maybe?' _Naruto wondered.

The guy finally stopped bowing and when he dared to look up, Sasuke said tonelessly, "_You_, have no right to be demanding anything from anyone."

_'Yep. Definately owes money.'_

The thug nodded in terror, and then the bell went.

Sasuke picked up his bag and was out the door first. As Naruto left after him he could hear the words of three of the other guys in the room, and from what he heard, he deduced the dark haired iceberg was called Sasuke Uchiha, and the terror of the school.

* * *

In Maths and English Naruto managed to fare pretty well without anymore attacks, mainly because the teachers were insane asses who put people in detention for sneezing. The Maths teacher Mr Zabuza was downright scary in both appearance and conduct. The English teacher Anko, was even worse. Where she lost marks for causing fear in looks, she made up for big time in her attitude.

In both classes Naruto found himself sitting at the desk next to Sasuke's. The ice prince just kept to himself the whole time. _'Is he always like that?'_ Naruto wondered. Either it was just coincidence, or did it seem that everyone else didn't seem to want to sit near the Uchiha? Well…he guessed that pink haired girl did, but she wasn't with them in Maths.

In double Technology he was with barely anyone from his Homeroom. He glumly thought that he probably wasn't going to be making any friends anytime soon.

_'I jinxed myself this morning.'_

However, he was soon corrected in thinking this. As he worked on his technical drawing two boys sat at the table with him. He looked up in the middle of drawing a perspective of the room and was greeted with a strange sight. One of them had the biggest eyebrows he had ever seen and a bowl cut worse than his gelled hair, and the other was…fat. End of that description.

"Emm…Hello," Naruto tried.

The fat kid didn't say anything so bushy brows did the talking for both of them. The moment his voice issued, Naruto was nearly blown from his seat in the enthusiasm that followed. "WELCOME TO OUR MOST NOBLE HIGH SCHOOL NARUTO-SAN!"

His ears ringing, Naruto looked in shock while the bowl cut kid just kept on rambling about how wonderful it was. As students on the surrounding tables sniggered and Mr Asuma approached, Naruto asked, more to shut him up than anything, "What are your names?"

Lee gave a half-salute and said, "Rock Lee! And this is-"

"Akimichi Chouji," the fat boy spoke for the first time.

"Nice to meet you," Naruto smiled.

Lee began talking again, and Naruto listened in amusement for the rest of the lesson as Lee told tales of disappeared students, dodgy teachers and disastrous sports carnivals. _'Konoha High really does sound very interesting,' _he thought.

As soon as the bell went for the end of 4th period, Naruto was in the boy's bathroom in front of the mirrors. He'd had enough of the tie. Through Maths, English and Technology it had done nothing but give him a choking. He grabbed onto the knot and pulled at it, satisfied when there was a good 20cm space between the knot and his neck.

'_Sorry,' _he thought guiltily to Tsunade. _'But I'm pretty sure that wearing it like before would attract more attention than not anyway.'_

He needed to do his business as well, so he went into one of the cubicles. When he went to wash his hands he had unknowingly left his shirt un-tucked out of habit.

Outside the bathroom he met Lee and Chouji who'd waited for him. He was finally starting to feel a bit comfortable in this place now that he had actually made his first friends. "Thanks," he said as he took his bag from Chouji.

"No problem." Chouji's stomach rumbled loudly and Naruto sweat-dropped. "We're going to the cafeteria now,"Chouji said. "Coming?"

Naruto smiled and gave a little shrug. 'Why not?"

_'I wonder what the cafeteria is like here.'_

They went down a hall filled with lockers and then up a flight of stairs. Naruto noted curiously that these were all deserted.

_'Where is everyone?'_

At the top of the stairs was a set of red double doors. Chouji pushed them open first and Naruto and Lee followed him into the vast room within.

Naruto was stunned. _'Oh…wow.'_

How to describe the cafeteria? In his old school the cafeteria had been a grimy, horrid place where people only went if they had to buy their lunch. Here…it seemed just about everyone in the school was there from Grade 7 to 12.

It was filled with dozens of long tables, and at each table sat a different clique of people. Next to the door was a group of Goths looking forebodingly at them three, and there was a table which contained the guy who had tried picking on Naruto in homeroom.

"Does everyone hang here?" Naruto asked nervously as he looked around.

"For the first half of lunch, just about. For second half most people go outside into the quads," Chouji said. He looked to the huge line of people waiting to pay and groaned. "No point lining up with that huge lot. We'll go sit down first."

Naruto nodded and then looked uncertainly around at all the people. "Ermm…where do you normally sit?"

Lee pointed enthusiastically to a table in the middle of the cafeteria and Naruto was shocked to see Sasuke and all the 'populars' were there. Sasuke was calmly eating some sushi dish while his friends clamored around. "You hang around with them?" Naruto asked distractedly.

"Huh? Yeh, why?"

"Nothing, nothing," Naruto said hurriedly. Truth was, he could not imagine a more weirder grouping. Lee and Chouji weren't exactly what he would picture as being popular. On the contrary, they were probably down on the other end. _'But they're nice people,' _he thought firmly. _'That's plenty enough.'_

As walked past the thugs table someone suddenly gave Naruto a hard push on the back and he fell to the floor. He managed to break his fall with his hands and turned over. Looking up, he gasped as a bucket of prepared water was showered onto him by the same big thug. The freezing cold water drenched him to the skin, sending spasms of iciness down his spine.

He spluttered and shouted up at them. "What the hell?!"

Chouji and Lee quickly took an arm each and helped him up, while the rest of the cafeteria exploded into laughter.

Sasuke had looked up from his food when Naruto had fallen and saw full well what had happened. _'How dare that bastard mess around in my territory,'_ he thought as he looked at the laughing punk. He made a mental note to make him pay. Naruto was yelling at the idiot, and his melodic voice had been replaced by that of a normal guy. Sasuke smirked.

Extremely pissed, Naruto took advantage of the water in his hair to clear out all the stupid gel. He turned his head upside down and laced the dried stuff out with his fingers onto the tiled ground, flicking his head back up when he was done. Closing his eyes, he shook his head a few times to get more of the water out.

_'I'm dripping wet and freezing cold in the middle of the cafeteria on my first day,' _he thought furiously. Could anything more go wrong?

When he finally opened his eyes, he was extremely unnerved to realize that the entire cafeteria had become dead silent and all eyes were staring at him.

Everywhere, the jaws of guys and girls alike were hanging on the floor as they gaped intensely at him. Even Lee and Chouji.

Scared that he had something more on him, like paint or some ornament, he turned and asked Lee uneasily "What's wrong?" He really didn't like this...the faces they were giving him were positively terrifying - why was that guy over there _blushing _at him? And there were more than a few nosebleeds that were normal for a fine Summer's day.

It took awhile for him to reply, and Lee shook his head slowly in wonder and uttered "Naruto-san is so..."

More than a little freaked by now, Naruto looked wildly around in the hope of finding out from someone else why he had suddenly become the target of a staring competition.

And then a girl screamed it. "He is so godamm HOT!" The rest of the cafeteria erupted into chaos.

'_WHAT THE FUCK?!" _

Everyone else was exclaiming loudly now too, and not only that…some of the girls had a predator look in their eyes and several of the guys were licking their lips. _'Is this a prank?!' _Naruto thought desperately.

'_Oh my God…' _

Sasuke's normally composed face was looking at Naruto in astounded silence. He took back everything he'd thought about his appearance before. Now that the shirt was no longer air filled, he could see that the rounded frame had been an illusion made by the folds. Wet and sticking to his skin, all could view that the body beneath was a bit thin, but at the same time well-toned and slender. The blonde hair was now matted and without the dulling effects of the gel it had become golden highlighted and was framing his face perfectly. In their startled state the blue eyes were wider than ever and with all these features added together, the boy was the painting of an angel. And he still looked so innocent...

"I don't believe it," Sakura whispered. "He's on par with Sasuke-kun!" The pink haired girl was looking at Naruto with an expression of stunned disbelief on her face.

At a table in the very back corner of the room a lone Year 12 was jerked out of his sleep by the commotion. Deidara looked grumpily around him, running his hand through his long, blonde ponytail. "What's going on?" he complained loudly.

No one answered him and he sulked at this. Instead, everyone's attention seemed to be focused on something or someone near the doors. Deidara got up and stood on top of the table to get a better view.

His eyes popped as they laid their sights on the beauty that was Naruto. _'Whooaa. Is he TRYING to look like a fuck toy, or is he just the most freaking hot thing on the planet?!' _

Deidara gawked at Naruto, unable to tear his eyes away from him.

But as Naruto made a small face of anger, something stirred in Deidara's memories and he frowned. _'He looks…familiar.'_

He snapped out of his lapse and in disappointment saw that Naruto had taken enough and had stormed out of the cafeteria.

* * *

Review!! And don't forget, i still got places for possible pairings

Next Chapter- What will be the results of this disastrous first day for Naruto?


	3. Akuma

I know it took a long time, I'm sorry! For future reference, i will always continue this story so never fear- whether it be a week, a month, or a few months, an update will always come.

" "- talking

' '_- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Three—**_

_**--Akuma--**_

He used the excuse he was coming down with a cold to skive off periods 5 and 6 so that at the end of the day, Naruto walked out alone in the clothes that he had borrowed from the sick bay.

He'd passed on wearing the stupid tie and had left his shirt out again and the nurse, being too nice to tell him otherwise, had let him. Although he could swear there had been an evil glint in her eye as she watched him…he had taken the time to make sure that the change room door was securely locked.

He purposefully left 10 minutes after the bell went for the end of the day to make sure no one else would ogle at him. He crept down the long, deserted hallway to the front door and began to feel thoroughly depressed in his solitude.

_'It feels so lonely,' _he thought sadly. This first day had really gone the opposite of everything he could've hoped. For god's sake, he was hiding from the rest of the school population.

He looked glumly around. '_Why did we have to move here?' _he thought. Even if Tsunade did have an offer from a better company here, it wasn't like they'd been at all desperate for money before.

He walked sullenly past the black gates and turned left in the direction of home. His house was only 15 minutes walk from the school (he'd managed 5 that morning), so it was fairly convenient. He had to go to the shops and buy some stuff before he went home though. Tsunade had told him that they were running out of bread and milk. Well…why wouldn't they at the rate that he ate?

There was a little shopping village 2 roads away from his house, so he figured he'd be able to get all his groceries from there.

'_Ok…bread…milk,' _he thought as he walked between the tall aisles._ 'And ramen never does bad!' _he thought happily. He ended up with more ramen than bread and milk put together.

As he left the shop with his groceries in his sling bag he noticed something he most definitely didn't want to see, or for him to be seen by. People from school, standing at the other end of a long stretch of pavement.

_'Crap!' _

It was not in his best interests to be caught out by them after what had happened in the cafeteria.

They hadn't seen him yet so turning on his heel, he was about to run when he recognized the raven black hair of Uchiha Sasuke at the forefront of the group of six. _'What is he doing here?' _he pondered. He looked through the other people and realized that they were all other Year 11s whom the ice prince hung with. Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji, and to some surprise, Chouji and Lee.

Looking directly at Sasuke, he was personally starting to think that the guy was too much of a cold prick for his own good. At that moment, he had on his trademark smirk and was grinning at something Naruto couldn't see.

Unbeknownst to even himself, Naruto was eyeing Sasuke's every movement with abnormally scrutinizing interest.

_'He's pretty good looking,' _he thought as Sasuke flicked his head to the side.

He kicked himself. Anyone walking past him just now would have seen an extremely _involuntary_ spasm go through him.

'_This place is filled with weirdoes!__' _his mind screamed._ 'I'm out of here before I become one!' _Becoming a mental was not on his list of want-to-be professions. '_Although I'd take that over becoming a gay,' _he thought. This lead to a minor battle in his head. _'Am I discriminatory towards gays? I shouldn't discriminate anyone! Aww, my head...'_

He was just preparing to leave for the sake of his sanity, when a muffled scream from behind froze him in his tracks.

_'What the…?'_

He turned around just in time to see the entire, large bevy of people disappear around the corner with several scuffling noises, and a grating which sounded like something heavy being dragged across the concrete ground.

Perplexed, he heard a scream come again, this time more pained. He cursed and hesitated, but when the scream came yet again he ran after them around that corner.

What he saw stunned him.

The other 5 were standing back and laughing as Sasuke kicked a guy across the floor. _'I didn't see him with them before,' _Naruto thought. _'Never mind that for now.'_

Even as he watched, Sasuke raised his leg again and with a casual, side swing his victim went crashing into the brick. Gripping onto the shoulder which had made contact, the person winced in pain as he slid to the ground.

They were in an area of the village which was currently closed and unfortunately for the person getting beaten up, this would mean he would have faced a couple of months in hospital, and most probably in intensive care; That is, if Naruto hadn't decided to interfere. His self-restraint vanished as Sasuke began advancing on the person helpless to his will.

"Get away from him!" Naruto shouted angrily. Throwing his bag and groceries to the side, he ran forwards towards the figure sprawled on the floor, placing himself between him and Sasuke in the process.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and took a step back as Naruto turned his back to him and knelt down. _'What is he doing here?'_ he thought coldly._ 'And shouldn't he know better than to interfere?' _Obviously not unless he wasn't afraid of pain.

As he watched Naruto look over the injuries on his victim's body, he suddenly felt a small pang of guilt which he could never in the past have associated with any such incident. Troubled, he turned to the other side to steep in his own thoughts.

Behind him, Lee and Chouji were waving their hands and heads frantically at an oblivious Naruto to tell him to run for it. Neji was gazing at Naruto with a look of interest upon his face, while Kiba just appeared annoyed.

Leaning the man down at the base of the wall, Naruto at last recognized who it was - It was that person who'd dumped the water on him in the cafeteria. But he was barely recognizable now with purple bruising and blood everywhere. Naruto shuddered at the crimson liquid oozing horribly to trickle thickly to the ground. The guy opened his eyes a few millimeters and feebly clutched at Naruto's sleeve, causing Naruto to recoil impulsively. "Please…" the injured man croaked out.

Naruto turned to look up at Sasuke and glared with such rancor that Sasuke was astonished that the normally innocent face could express such emotions. He was also starting to feel somewhat mystified, which in turn irritated him. That person had dumped water on Naruto just hours before, so why was he defending him? To Sasuke, revenge was always sweet. _'Is he an idiot?'_ he thought coldly.

"Stay away from him," Naruto growled. _'The dickhead. What does he think he's doing? He could've killed this guy. That settles it, I hate him.'_

This remark was what really pissed Sasuke off.

_'How dare he order me around...'_

He walked towards Naruto and knelt down next to him. He looked at him through his cold, black eyes and then drawled in a low, toneless voice,"And what are you going to do if I don't?"

Naruto looked uncertain for a moment, and Sasuke's lips twisted into a cold smirk of triumph. "You can't do anything can you?" he asked sardonically. He stood up slowly, his onyx eyes on Naruto's blue ones all the while. Suddenly, he kicked the thug in the stomach again and the already wounded man slumped down unconscious after a cry of pain.

Naruto snarled and leaping to his feet sent a punch at Sasuke's head which missed. Sasuke grabbed the fist which had gone flying past his right ear and held it in a vice-like grip. Enraged, Naruto shook his hand violently but the grip didn't loosen at all - On the contrary, Sasuke held on even tighter as a taunting smile spread across his pretty boy features.

"Let me go," Naruto growled.

Sasuke smiled evilly. "Make me." He brought his face to within a few centimeters of Naruto's. Naruto held his ground, glaring daggers at Sasuke. Amused, Sasuke retreated when Naruto didn't and then said in a whisper so that only he could hear, "No one can tell me how to live my life."

'_Huh?' _Naruto thought, confused.

Still with Naruto's fist in his grip, Sasuke turned around to the others and in a casual voice called out, "Let's go to dinner then?"

The other five all agreed, and then Sasuke turned to Naruto again. "And you're coming."

* * *

The restaurant was an alright place, he supposed. But that didn't change the fact that he had been _forced_ to come.

It was more of a little café to tell the truth. It had a sea, blue theme and even the lights were tinted a pale, blue crystal. Them seven sat at a large, square table, separated from the other tables in the place by traditional, Japanese, rice paper partitions.

Naruto leaned back on the black, cushiony seat and refused to take part in the conversation that was happening across the table from him. They were laughing -except Sasuke of course, who was sniggering- at some stupid joke that Kiba had just told.

In between jokes Sasuke was darting little glances in Naruto's direction. The guy intrigued him. He'd come to school looking like a dork, when he was in fact one of the most good looking people imaginable. He dared to stand up to _him_, even after seeing what he was capable of. Certainly someone worth spending a bit of time on to discover all his secrets.

"Why did you bring that guy?" Kiba whispered to Sasuke. "He looks like he wants to kill us." And truly, Naruto was sending the occasional death glare in their direction.

"He's interesting," Sasuke stated casually.

"He acts like some naive kid," Kiba laughed.

Lee and Chouji were sitting on either side of Naruto and Lee nudged him, trying to encourage him to join in. Naruto pointedly ignored the nudging and tried to concentrate his attention on the soya sauce bottle on the table. He didn't know if he could accept Lee and Chouji as friends anymore, not after seeing what they did.

_'Who would beat up someone that badly just for doing something they didn't like?' _he thought.

Naruto didn't doubt Sasuke was rich. After all, almost everyone in Konoha would be – it was one of those places where you needed money to do the talking. But just how rich, for him to be able to wield such power over others? _'Kami…what a weird guy.'_

When the meals they ordered finally came Sasuke decided that Naruto needed to talk more. And besides, he wanted to find out more about him. That wasn't going to happen unless _someone_ said something. The others picked up their chopsticks and began eating, but Naruto and Sasuke remained motionless on a frontier of nuclear weapons. Needless to say, the five that _were_ eating were feeling a lot of unneeded pressure during dinner.

Folding his arms on the table in front of him, Sasuke looked Naruto in the eyes and asked calmly "What made you do that back there?"

Naruto glared back and thought, _'What an idiot.'_

"What do you mean what made me do that?" he said stoutly. "I'm not a heartless jerk, and that's reason enough." Taking his chopsticks out of their paper cover, he gripped one in between his teeth and grabbing the other with two fingers, swiftly snapped them apart. He stabbed with vigor at a piece of salmon sashimi and dipped it with unnecessary force into the soya sauce. _'The sooner this is over, the better,' _he thought venomously. Sasuke watched in amusement.

Trying to break the ice, Lee asked through a mouthful of udon, "So where did you move to Konoha from?"

It was a question he could tolerate. "Northside," He stated. There wasn't any need to say more than was asked of him.

"Northside…" Neji said slowly. "Hey Sasuke, isn't that where you and Itachi went for your vacation?"

Sasuke nodded rather grumpily. "It was a dump. And i wouldn't call anything with that asshole a vacation."

Kiba laughed. "Sure it wasn't a dump just because Itachi was there?"

Sasuke gave him a small but painful punch on the head.

"Oww!"

Deciding to develop on Lee's tact, Chouji asked, "How come you moved here?"

'_Cause I wanted to get myself killed?'_

"I wish I knew…" Naruto muttered.

Chin resting on interlaced fingers, Sasuke watched silently as Naruto kept on eating. Pretending not to notice, Naruto carefully avoided making eye contact with Sasuke. However, there is only so much that a person can take. Uncomfortable, Naruto finally cracked 5 minutes later. He stood up angrily and so suddenly that he almost overturned the table. He pointed his chopsticks dangerously close at Sasuke's face and shouted "You told me to come here and eat, and I'm doing that. Now can you _let_ me do that in peace?!"

The ringing silence that followed his words seemed to bring Sasuke to the fact that all attention in the vicinity was focused completely on him. He cast a single death glare around the restaurant which ended with it's gaze on Naruto's face. "Don't tell me what to do Uzumaki."

Naruto snorted. "Don't tell _me_ what to do."

For a moment, Sasuke didn't take any action, his mind calculating whether he'd much prefer to kill or torture. But then he let out a sigh of breath he had been holding in and stood up and walked calmly around the table to where Naruto was still standing. He stopped in front of the blonde. "You have seen what I can do," he said to him softly.

"And you've seen that frankly, I don't give a damm," Naruto announced.

Sasuke's eyes glinted as they captured Naruto's in their gaze. "But will your mother care when you're removed from Konoha, half dead?"

Naruto froze.

Seeing the effect of his words, Sasuke edged closer to Naruto so that his sleeve brushed against Naruto's. "And furthermore…will _you_ care when she lies unconscious in Konoha hospital?"

Quick as lightening, Naruto had grabbed Sasuke's collar and drawn back his left fist, preparing to land a blow that promised a world of pain.

The other five at the table were instantly on their feet with hands at their waists. Shikamaru pulled his dagger out slightly so that the light reflected on the metal shone in Naruto's eyes. Sasuke folded his arms, daring Naruto to land the blow.

"You bastard."

Naruto growled, but released the Uchiha. He retrieved his backpack from the chair behind him and made a wide detour around them to the exit. As he reached it Sasuke's wretched voice called out to him.

"If you want the best for you and your family, after school tomorrow go to the cafeteria."

'_Damm you to hell Uchiha.'_

* * *

"How was your first day of school?" Tsunade asked him. Her voice became hard. "Are the people here nice?"

Naruto looked up from unpacking his school bag behind the kitchen table.

He walked over and stood behind where Tsunade was working on an important project for her new company on her laptop. Smiling, he patted her gently on the shoulder and then said "It was good. Everyone here is heaps nice."

* * *

_--Next day--_

The connection with the ice prince proved to be a gain in some respects. A huge positive was that on the next morning of school people no longer seemed to be infatuated with Naruto's appearance. Naruto had no doubt that the news of his being involved rather negatively with Sasuke had been spread around the whole school already by the five people who had witnessed the events in the restaurant. People daren't get involved with him for fear of insulting Sasuke Uchiha.

He was careful not to tempt anyone though. He'd die before he wore gel again, but he'd tucked his shirt in and done his tie up to a sensible degree.

Slamming shut his locker, he began making his way to homeroom with his textbooks tucked under one arm. The first to get there, he sat at the same seat he'd sat at the day before and then turned his face to the window. He smiled childishly at the shapes the clouds made and all attention was focused outside. He therefore didn't notice when the bell rang and people began entering the classroom.

But he did recognize the voice which came from his right.

"Good morning Uzumaki."

The smile slipped from his face. He knew what to expect as he forced his head to turn.

Sasuke grinned through his perfect teeth at Naruto and Naruto gritted his own. "Morning," he said stiffly.

Whispering was happening again, but this time it was confused as people began debating whether Sasuke and Naruto really were on bad terms. After all…how often did _Sasuke Uchiha _greet someone? Never.

Sasuke rested an elbow on his table and propped his head up on his hand. He tilted his head to one side and looked at Naruto with a penetrating stare. When Naruto tried ignoring him by continuing his examination of the clouds outside, Sasuke pulled his chair closer so that Naruto had no choice but to turn to the face a mere 10 inches from his own.

"What do you want?" he hissed.

Sasuke smirked. "Is that any way to talk to me? I thought you got the message yesterday…"

"What do you want?" Naruto growled again.

Sasuke's eyes iced over and all previous manner of glee evaporated into seriousness. "You _will_ go to the cafeteria today after school."

Naruto shifted a little but retained his composure. "Do I really have any say in the matter?" he asked coldly.

"For your own good…no, you do not." Sasuke nodded curtly at Naruto and then moved back to his desk as Kakashi finally bothered to grace the classroom with his presence and began calling out the roll.

'_What does he want…and why the cafeteria?' _

Sasuke was tracing absently with his finger on the grainy wood of his desk. Naruto watched, fascinated, at the tranquility in that figure and the absolute coolness with which everything was greeted by him.

"Uchiha, Sasuke!"

Sasuke raised a hand without looking up.

'_He's definitely different to anyone else I've met.'_

"Uzumaki, Naruto!"

"Here!"

_--After school--_

Sixth period had been an amazing escapade involving punctured frogs and flying limbs in a sickeningly stuffy biology classroom. Naruto was not to leave the classroom without being in an unpleasantly bad mood.

And so it was that he was to be found by Neji, stomping his way up the steps to the cafeteria with a shroud of murderous intent hanging about him.

"My, my Uzumaki-san. Are you always in such a bad mood?" he asked teasingly as he fell into step beside Naruto.

"No," Naruto grumbled truthfully. "It's only when _you lot_ are around."

Neji's pupil-less eyes stared into the side of Naruto's head for a moment, calculating. And then he sighed and turned to face the front. "You have a lot to learn about Konoha High don't you?"

"Well it _is _only my second day," Naruto said, annoyed.

"I know, I know," Neji said. Suddenly, his face was before Naruto's and Naruto's chin was cupped in his hand. Freaked, Naruto could only stutter wordlessly as Neji smirked. "I hope you don't take it too badly," the Hyuuga grinned.

He released Naruto and walked through the cafeteria doors first, leaving them flapping behind him.

_'What was **that** about?' _Naruto thought.

When he had recovered from the shock, he followed.

He didn't know what he had been expecting past those red doors, but it most certainly wasn't this.

'_Oh my god...are these people all nerds? Or do they just not get enough of school as it is?'_

Stunned, he looked at the noisy, hectic room which was the cafeteria. It was filled to bursting point with people, but not just Konoha students. There were casual clothes around too, and Naruto noticed that there were barely any of the younger students there. It was mostly guys, with the occasional female here and there.

Neji sidled sneakily next to Naruto and asked "What do you think?"

Still nervous of Neji from before, Naruto moved a little away from him. He was feeling very wary of his height in comparison to everyone here…

"A major study group?" Naruto joked.

Neji laughed and shook his head. He grabbed Naruto's wrist and ignoring the rather withering glares from all the people around them as well as the protests from Naruto's mouth, he dragged him over to the middle table where Sasuke and co. were.

Neji forced Naruto to sit down on the seat across from Sasuke and then moved away and engaged himself in a conversation between Shikamaru and Kiba.

Naruto looked at Sasuke to see him grinning evilly at him.

Naruto gazed coolly back. "Why did you want me here? I have no interest in being part of whatever group this is."

"Oh? So you've figured out it's a group of some sort?" Sasuke said cynically. "Well... you're close." As he said this, a crash came from the table next to them and they both turned to see a man get thrown violently to the floor. Cursing, the man got back on his feet then wrestled his attacker from the top of the table to the floor where they proceeded with a violent exchange of limbs and shouts.

Sasuke disregarded this, but actually laughed when he saw the look of disbelief on Naruto's face. Naruto gave Sasuke a distant expression. "What kind of a study group _is _this?" he asked numbly.

The fighting pair next to them were now smearing copious amounts of crimson blood across the ground. Around them, a ring of cheering people had gathered. Naruto twitched as their fight brought them closer to the table he was at before crashing back to their own.

Simpering, Sasuke leaned over the table edge towards Naruto, who regarded him with a distant face. Smiling maliciously, he said to him softly, "This is an underworld...and everyone here is in a gang."

_A flash of red. A __chilling scream._

Naruto's eyes widened and he stood up. He glanced around at the many tables and saw every now and again, scars or bruises on peoples bodies- evidence of past fights and incidents. Beneath shirts on belts and in bags, weapons were waiting. He looked in newfound fear at Sasuke.

Sasuke waved an arm around him. "This is the monthly gathering. Everyone needed somewhere to meet, and so we decided that the school cafeteria would be the perfect place."

"You're mad," Naruto whispered. _'I've got to get out of here. This isn't right at all.'_

Sasuke grinned. "Am I?" He waved a brown haired boy over and placed an elbow on his shoulder.

"Tell him," he whispered in the boy's ear, "just how sane am I?"

Terrified, the boy couldn't manage speech. Instead, he just nodded furiously at Naruto, who was still in shock. Sasuke pushed the boy to the side and returned his concentration to Naruto, who at last regained the ability to speak.

"You're in a fucking _gang,_" Naruto whispered. "You attack people – kill them, for all I know!" He gestured around them. "Not only you, all of this is insane!" he shouted. Several guys from neighboring tables stopped what they were doing and began muttering as they glared at Naruto.

Sasuke silenced him with a look. "You are in Konoha," he spat, "and whether you like it or not, you are now a part of this madness." His eyes flickered momentarily to the people at the other tables who were looking murderously at Naruto. _'This idiot's gonna get killed if he doesn't learn when to shut up.'_

"Well, you can take me down to hell first!" Naruto yelled at him.

Sasuke laughed hollowly. "Idiot. You know nothing about _Akuma_ but you criticize us? I guarantee _Akuma_ doesn't do any killing." He snorted at this point. "Our gang has only one purpose, and you'll learn that later."

He got up and stood on the top of the table. Instantly, all attention turned to Sasuke as he addressed the large room. "From today onwards," he said, "Naruto Uzumaki is now a member of _Akuma_." He glared at everyone, a rather difficult feat which he managed perfectly, and spoke in a dangerous whisper. "Anyone who dares to mess with him, is messing with us…got that?"

He sat back down and Naruto barely controlled the urge to leap on him right there and then. "The fuck?!" he snarled.

"You should be grateful," Sasuke said icily. "None of the other gangs here will dare to mess with you from now on. You are now in one of the strongest groups in Konoha."

"Yeah," Kiba added as he waltzed past. "Don't pretend you haven't realized all the attention that's been on you since yesterday. For a fact, _those_ people over there were planning on ambushing you this arvo." He thumped Naruto on the back. "Welcome to Akuma."

Shikamaru nodded and yawned shamelessly from next to Kiba. "I'm sure being a member of Akuma is a small price to pay for your virginity."

"Trust me," Sasuke smirked. "Akuma is not that bad."

Naruto turned a light shade of red and hissed, "You messing with me is more than enough!" He got out from under Kiba's hand and without a backwards glance, he was out of there.

Sasuke smiled at Naruto's retreating back. Neji sat down next to him and turned to look at him inquiringly.

"I'm curious," Neji said. "What made you let him be a part of Akuma?"

Sasuke gave Neji an unreadable expression and shook his head. He smiled a malicious smile. "Naruto Uzumaki…I wonder. What demons do you hide?"

* * *

Next chapter- Is there another side to the ice prince?

Review!!


	4. The Two Faces of the Ice Prince

Early because i felt guilty for making everyone wait so long for the last one.

" " – talking

' '_- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Four—**_

_**--The Two Faces of the Ice Prince—**_

_In deepest night amongst a wild, brewing thunderstorm, nine people made their escape up a flight of marble steps into a wide room._

_The sound of their pursuers followed quickly after, and in desperation they bolted the doors shut and blocked them with a table. They retreated to the wall, hands clasped on weapons that no longer provided them with the comfort they used to._

_Wounded…despairing…they braced themselves as the door began to be forcefully opened…_

_Naruto tightened his grip on his blade._

* * *

'_What am I going to do?'_

Naruto walked miserably down the unfamiliar pavement, not knowing where it would lead him.

'_I don't want to stay here. Even more, I don't __want to be in a gang! I'll have to try tell Tsunade when she gets back.' _

Right. Tell Tsunade.

He grimly thought that his step-mother was going to cause a natural disaster when he finished telling her. He'd be lucky if he wasn't knocked out unconscious by the shock waves. A sweet-tempered woman, Tsunade was not.

She wasn't going to be back until 11:30 though. She was starting work in the new company that day and would be working late hours every day of the week from now on. _'Until we leave this place anyway.'_

And so, Naruto had almost six hours to kill before he had to get home. He kicked at a pebble and felt like screaming out loud.

'_This sucks. Stupid Sasuke Uchiha.'_ To him, it seemed that Sasuke was out to make his life horrible. Why did he have to be against him for god's sake? But he supposed that making the lives of people difficult was what bored, rich kids did in their spare time.

But to force him into a gang…that was a bit too much. Naruto vaguely wondered if gangs were really like what he saw on the television – nothing but brutal violence and sheer strength.

A bus moving up next to him caught his attention and he realized he had walked to a bus stop. _'A bit of traveling wouldn't hurt,'_ he thought._ ' I s__hould at least get to know the place a little before I leave it forever.'_

He got on the bus and paid the 1.50 fee to the driver and then made his way up to sit near the back of the bus. On the way there he walked past several people who promptly stopped talking as he passed them and whose hands moved instinctively to reach for weapons. Naruto hurried past these people and seated himself away from anyone else. _'Such a suspicious community,'_ he thought critically. _'I'll be glad to be rid of it.'_

Looking outside the bus windows, he could see that Konoha had a lot of variation. Every now and again there would be magnificent mansions and buildings, but there would also be the rundown apartments and empty, graffitied districts. At a red light he smiled to himself as he saw a little girl outside wailing to her mom that she wanted something. Without meaning to, he nodded off to sleep.

_--Elsewhere—_

'_Why am I here again?'_ Sasuke thought as he downed a Margarita. He looked around the medium-sized bar through the smoky, filthy air and then returned to his drink.

'_Oh yeah. Because I want to get the fuck away from Itachi.'_

His life ambition? To never live under the same roof with Itachi ever again. But unfortunately, that would involve him getting his own place to stay. And that was not happening because he didn't have money. Well…he actually had plenty of money that he'd inherited from his parents, but it was in a joint account with Itachi. He could get as much money as he wanted for spending from there but he somehow figured Itachi wouldn't let him get away with emptying their account for an apartment.

He'd gladly crash over at Kiba or Shikamaru's place but that would not and could not serve as a permanent solution…he also didn't want to leave his room vulnerable to his destructive older brother and his freaky friends.

And so here he was, underage drinking away his problems in a run-down part of the city where he hoped no one he knew would ever go to. Heaven forbid if someone found him here…he had a reputation to uphold. He was an Uchiha and therefore, he would not be troubled, would always do what he wanted to.

'_Fat chan__ce of that,' _he thought dourly.

With Itachi at his neck, he was about as untroubled as if he was falling from a cliff with no hand-holds. His older brother was ruthless, even more so than Sasuke. Sasuke didn't even know why Itachi hadn't kicked him out of the house yet. Possibly because he wasn't capable of inheriting the entire family fortune their parents had left, but Sasuke highly doubted that. It was probably because it would cut him off from all those visits he had to make to Konoha High School to see his teachers – which would ultimately cut him off from a large number of possible victims in the form of high school students.

Itachi was violent, a pervert, literally gay, a pedophile, and an all round bastard in the one body. Running these negative attributes about his brother over and over in his head was one of Sasuke's favorite pastimes. He had seen more that one innocent person fall to Itachi's manipulative and coercive nature, and then be broken the morning after. He'd seen Itachi do _that_ because the pervert hadn't bothered to close his bedroom door while he was doing the deed, and kami was he scarred for life...

Raising a hand, he called for another bottle.

A middle aged red-haired woman sitting at a table near him waved at him. She smiled hideously, revealing crooked teeth, and cooed to him. "How much for a night?" she asked slyly. Disgusted, Sasuke turned away from her and was grateful when he heard the sounds of her drunken steps leaving the bar.

He started on the new bottle of Margarita and hazily, began thinking. He did that quite a lot…kind of like meditating. It helped to clear his mind and it was one of the things which distinguished him as being smarter than others.

His thoughts came to rest on Naruto, and he smiled inside at the innocent, immature, blonde bombshell. _'What are you hiding…?'_ He truly believed there was more to Naruto than met the eye. Kakashi had said himself that he had been a special case. Although he secretly was hoping that Kiba hadn't got it right in one and Naruto was in fact a mental. That would make everything so much less interesting.

Still questioning Naruto's complex character, Sasuke turned his head to the other side.

And who in the world should pick at that moment to walk, lost looking as ever, into the bar?

Sasuke perked upright as Naruto entered hesitantly into the bar. The Uchiha's eyes were as wide as saucers.

'_So much for innocent',_ he thought. _'Wait…I can't let anyone see me here!'_

Frantic, he madly pondered whether he could get out past Naruto without him seeing. But before he'd finished planning his brilliant escape, the sound of breaking glass dragged him back to reality and he looked over to the entrance of the bar.

Naruto had managed to knock a guy's bottle of beer to the floor and was apologizing profusely to the man in his 40s.

_'Five seconds, and he's managed to piss someone off already,' _Sasuke thought. He didn't know whether to be amused or exasperated.

He watched as the man looked at Naruto with a hungry gaze in his eyes, and he hoped that Naruto had the intelligence to get out of there.

_'Idiot! What are you doing?!'_

That was too much to hope for. Naruto took out his wallet and taking out the money for the beer, he made to give it to the man. The man held his hand open and Naruto gave it to him, but as he pulled his hand back, he suddenly found his wrist in a tight grip.

He looked at the man in surprise which slowly changed to alarm as the man stood up and towered at least two feet over him. He tugged furiously, trying to get the man to let go but he just laughed.

And then…Naruto punched him in the face.

Sasuke's thoughts – _'…'_

The man's head snapped to the side, but his grip didn't relinquish. He was no longer laughing, and when he raised his head once more his eyes were dangerous. Naruto was scared now, disbelieving that he had dared to punch someone. He looked fearfully up at the larger man as he grinded his teeth, surely preparing to make him pay.

'_Asshole…'_

Sasuke felt a shimmer of rage and before he knew it, he was next to Naruto. Naruto's eyes widened momentarily and then Sasuke had sunk his fist into the man's stomach. As the man doubled over, Sasuke hit him with the side of his hand on the back of the guy's neck and he was on the ground, out cold.

"This one's in Akuma," Sasuke muttered malignly to the body.

A few women around them shrieked but Sasuke ignored them. Seeing that Naruto was staring at the body and unable to move by himself, he heaved a sigh and pulled him by the arm over to where he had been sitting.

He pushed Naruto down onto a chair and sat back in the one he'd been in before his peaceful, afternoon retreat from the world had been disturbed. Seated, he proceeded to eye Naruto intriguingly.

Naruto stared at the empty bottles on the table.

And then after a minute of silence, he said in a low voice, "Thanks."

"Hn." Sasuke shrugged off the thanks and began drinking again, all thoughts of escaping gone. He could only hope that Naruto wouldn't leak out to anyone. He could get into a lot of trouble with not only people he knew, but officials as well.

"Why are you in a bar?" he asked Naruto curiously. Naruto was the last person he'd ever expect to see in a place like this. _'And doesn't he realize how dangerous it is for him?'_ It was dangerous for him as well, but he had a fairly reasonable amount of ammo at his disposal.

Naruto ruffled his hair sheepishly and said, "I thought this was a restaurant."

'_A…restaurant…?__ What restaurants has HE been going to?'_

Sasuke rolled his eyes and Naruto snapped, "Well why are _you_ in a bar?"

'_Oops.'_

Score one-zero to Naruto.

Sasuke put his bottle on the table. "I come here to think. Problem?"

"You're underage," Naruto pointed out.

_Snap. _Score two-zero to Naruto.

Sasuke folded his arms and leant back in his chair. "That doesn't matter here."

Naruto looked skeptically at him. _'I didn't even need ID to get in here…We're in school uniform in a bar and no one cares!'_ He was starting to see Konoha as a place where the normal rules of society no longer applied.

_'Does that make it a pro or a con...?' _he thought grimly.

"Well," Sasuke said. "Are you going to order anything? Might as well since you're here."

"Fine, fine." Naruto waved a hand to a waiter who came over and stood waiting before him. "Umm, a sake please."

The waiter nodded and went off, quickly returning with a small bottle of sake on a platter. He put it down on the table before Naruto and then retreated.

Sasuke looked in mild astonishment at Naruto, who said "What?" with a defensive expression on his face.

"I was expecting you to order an orange juice or a soft drink," Sasuke said incredulously.

Naruto took a sip and Sasuke was impressed when he didn't recoil – even he found sake strong. Wiping his mouth on his rolled up shirt sleeve, Naruto said, "My step-mother drinks this stuff like she lives on it. The freezer has heaps, so I'll sometimes take some. She knows how to pick it too…this one tastes awful."

"And here I was thinking you were some goody goody," Sasuke said, shaking his head and allowing the faintest hint of a smile at his lips.

Naruto frowned at him over his bottle then closed his eyes. Tilting his head back, he finished the rest of the small bottle in one swallow. "You shouldn't think of everyone negatively," he said.

Unable to contain himself, Sasuke smiled, one that wasn't suspicious or fake, and Naruto found it enthralling. _'He should smile more often.'_

"I want to know," he said, setting his empty bottle down, "why did you make me join Akuma? It's not like I'm a particularly violent person or an asset or anything. And why are there gangs in this place anyway?"

Sasuke cocked his head. "Why there are gangs…well I suppose it's just a tradition of Konoha's. And as for your joining _Akuma_, Kiba and Shikamaru already explained that."

Naruto laughed hollowly. "Like I'll believe that one. Really, how come?"

"Truth?" Sasuke asked.

"Truth."

Sasuke grinned at Naruto. "You're one of the most unique people I've ever met. Sometimes, you can be so childish and naïve and annoying. But every now and again you get so…riled up, in a fashion." He inclined his head to the body of the man still near the entrance of the bar. "Like how you punched him for one thing. And how you defended the punk yesterday."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I'm naïve?" he asked childishly.

"You seem to be. I want to know what you really are."

Naruto smiled widely and spread his arms wide. "This is what I am."

Sasuke laughed. "I see you're not going to give up any secrets without a fight."

"See what I mean?" Naruto said. "You think negatively. Can't you just believe that I don't have secrets?"

"Everyone has their secrets."

"Ok, ok," Naruto said. He then narrowed his eyes. "Why are you suddenly being so nice and agreeable?" he asked Sasuke suspiciously. He had thought that the next time he saw Sasuke would result in a huge outbreak out of war. When he caught that bus, he'd never have considered _this_ to happen.

Sasuke shrugged and said, "I can be what I want."

'_It does feel nice talking to him though…,'_ he thought. In his life, he'd only ever had his mother and father who he could talk freely too. That had disappeared with their deaths, along with his childhood. _'I'd like to do this more often.'_

"Where's the bathroom?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"There." Sasuke pointed to a black door next to the bar and Naruto stood up and walked off after giving him a fox-like grin. He disappeared through the door and Sasuke was left alone.

He shook his head in exasperation and berated himself. _'Why am I thinking about him so much anyway? He's just another new kid,' _he thought.

'_He's the **only** new kid,' _said a little voice at the back of his head.

'_It's because he's different,' _he thought firmly. _'That's all.' _He reached his hand out for the bottle on the table.

"Well, well…care to explain why you are here little brother?"

Sasuke froze up. He felt for the slightest moment a trickle of fear before he was on his feet and glaring at the three people behind him. He'd been to that bar countless times before. It was always the same routine – come, get a drink, go. So why was it when things out of the ordinary happened, they all had to happen on the same day?

_'The gods hate me.'_

Uchiha Itachi looked down at Sasuke, smiling fakely. Dressed in jeans and the latest in trends, Itachi looked down his handsome face at him.

How Sasuke longed to beat that face to a pulp.

Next to Itachi was a man with skin so pale it was almost blue. He had a shark like appearance, and Sasuke knew him to be Kisame, a similarly bastard friend of Itachi's who was always crashing drunk over at their place. Standing a few steps behind Itachi was Deidera, and Sasuke snarled as he recognized the 12th grader from school.

'_Akatsuki…'_

"What I do is none of your business," he spat at Itachi. Around them, people began muttering. Kisame looked at them threateningly and they quickly scurried back to what they had been doing.

Itachi took a step forwards. Sasuke longed to back away as his face was met with Itachi's chest, thinking of all the men whose faces had been there before. But he'd die before he succumbed to his brother.

"I am your guardian," Itachi said coldly. "I am responsible for what you do."

"You do a shit job of it!" Sasuke sneered.

"Such a feisty one," Deidera laughed. "Come on Itachi…can't you just give him to me for just one night?" He backed off when Itachi and Sasuke gave him twin, silencing glares and he avoided looking at both of their eyes. "Ok…I'll be good," he muttered. _'It's the scary, Uchiha, evil eye!'_

"So this is why you haven't been at home much Sasuke," Itachi said. He scanned his eyes over the vicinity. "I see none of your friends are here with you…," he said softly in a voice that couldn't hide his disappointment. Sasuke was extremely grateful right then that Naruto had a weak bladder.

"Go screw yourself, pervert," Sasuke hissed.

Itachi's eyes flashed and his fingers clenched for a fraction of a second before he regained control. "I'll expect you back at home by 12, Sasuke," he said serenely. Turning to Kisame and Deidera, he said "We'll go to another bar." They nodded and all three of them departed, leaving Sasuke standing and gawking after them.

'_That bastard…probably off to find some other guys to screw. I hate him.__ I could have a normal, loving brother like everyone else, but no. I have to get landed with a maniac that has sex on his mind 24/7.'_

"Hey. Anyone there? Helloooo."

"Huh?"

Naruto's face was in his, and he was struck dumb for the second time that night as he registered the startling bright, sapphire in those eyes, and the close proximity which he was at to the blonde…

Unlike with Itachi, he did not feel ashamed when he took a step back from Naruto.

"Are you okay? You've been standing like that for a while now you know," Naruto said worriedly.

'_There's actually someone who'd be worried for me?'_

"I'm fine," he snapped. He regretted it as Naruto's eyes hardened and the blonde huffed.

"No need to be an ass about it," Naruto said primly. He put down a 20 note on the table and began heading for the door.

Sighing, Sasuke put down his own money and slowly followed Naruto, stepping out the double, glass doors into the cool, night air.

Outside, he found Naruto scratching his head and looking awkwardly around the dark street. When he saw Sasuke had followed him, he hurried over to him and asked guiltily, "Do you know how to get back?"

Sasuke stared at him. "I know how to get to _my_ house," he said. When Naruto looked pleading, he sighed again. "How did you even get here?"

Naruto flushed a little. "I…em, caught a bus and fell asleep."

Sasuke chuckled. "Way to demonstrate your intelligence dobe. I'm going by taxi so I can just drop you off somewhere."

"Really! That'll be heaps good! And I'm not a dobe."

"Whatever, dobe." Sasuke walked out onto the edge of the road, dodging all the drunks and partying people, and put an arm out to a taxi. The driver pulled up before them, and Naruto briefly thought that the guy looked too drunk to be awake, let alone driving.

He hesitantly got in the back as Sasuke sat in the front seat. Should he write a will?

"Where to, boys?" asked the driver, grinning stupidly as he did. He gave Sasuke a side ways wink, and Sasuke realized that him and Naruto walking together out of a bar must have created an extremely questionable image.

"Just drop me off in front of Konoha High thanks!" Naruto called joyfully from the back. Completely oblivious.

"Jaxton Street," Sasuke said.

The taxi driver tipped his hat slightly to them and said "Sure thing."

Naruto got off first since the high school was the closest. He got out quickly (the back had smelt like puke) and stood on the pavement. He gave Sasuke a wave. "Thanks. I'll see you at school tomorrow then."

Sasuke nodded. "Tomorrow, dobe."

"C'mon lovebirds, lets go," said the taxi driver. He pressed foot to the pedal and off they went, Naruto a disappearing figure in the mirror.

"You'll see your boyfriend tomorrow," taxi driver said slyly.

"Do you mind?" Sasuke asked in an aggravated voice.

The taxi driver kept on going. "You two made a damm hot couple. All those people outside the bar back there were vyin' for a threesome with the two of you. Ahh, k, here we are. Jaxton street."

Sasuke pulled the door open and walked around the car to the driver's window. He handed over a 50 and said, "Keep the change."

"Oooh!" said the idiotic driver. "A tip!"

"Here's another."

As Sasuke walked up to the gates of his elaborate home, the taxi driver left behind him with a generous tip, along with a newly blackened eye.

At the cream, double doors, he took his keys from his pocket and inserted a bronze one into the matching handle. He quietly pushed open the doors. Peeking inside, he saw that Itachi's shoes were already there, as well as an extra pair.

He shuddered as the screams from upstairs carried downwards to his ears.

'_Home, sweet, home'_

* * *

Naruto basically skipped his way back home. All the troubles of earlier were gone, as he considered the meeting with Sasuke to have somewhat eased them. _'I might not leave after all!' _he thought happily.

Sasuke wasn't as bad as he'd primarily believed. Naruto was starting to believe - as well as hope - that the threats Sasuke had made were also empty.

_'He was so nice today. But, which side is his act then?'_

He turned around the corner to his street and then froze when he saw a black BMW pulling into the driveway. _'Crap! Tsunade's home early!' _

Tsunade expected him to be home after school straightaway, even if it meant he was going to be stuck alone in the house with nothing to do except his homework (how was he to survive!). If she were to find out he'd been out, and at a _bar_ too…let's not think of that.

Pulling out his keys from his bag as he ran, he took the opportunity of Tsunade turning the alarm in the garage off to unlock the front door, throw it open and go leaping into the house before slamming the door behind him.

He threw his shoes off as he heard the key turn in the entrance door in the garage. Looking frenetically around the kitchen, he realized just how suspicious it seemed. He hadn't had dinner, so there were no dishes in the sink, and everything looked exactly as it had been in the morning.

'_I could pretend I went to sleep early!'_

He ran up the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible to his room, where he changed into his pajamas even quicker than he'd changed from them when he was late to school the day before. He chucked his uniform haphazardly to the side and was under the covers just as Tsunade reached the top of the stairs.

He closed his eyes, and tried to not let his ragged breathing give him away as footsteps approached his side.

"Naruto?"

He made quite the act of getting up. He moaned and rolled over and rubbed at eyes which were suddenly blurry and unfocused. With slow and deliberate movements, he propped himself up on his pillow and looked at the brown-eyed, blonde woman standing next to his bed.

"Hey mom."

Tsunade bent over him and looked worriedly at his face. "Is everything alright Naruto? You're looking very flustered, and you didn't have dinner."

Naruto smiled serenely and said, "It's nothing. Was just tired after school."

Tsunade smiled and hugged him briefly. "Well, if you're feeling better now, I'll go and cook you something."

She walked down the stairs and Naruto looked forlornly after. _'Damm conscience.'_

'_Ok. From now on, always get home half an hour early.'_

* * *

Next chapter- I will finally reveal to you _a little_ of Naruto's mysterious past.

Reviews encourage faster typing XD


	5. Enter: The Akatsuki

I've made some changes to the past chapters because of a certain, gaping plot hole. See if you can notice ; )

" " – talking

' '_- thinking_

_Italics only - Flashbacks/memories_

* * *

_**--Chapter Five—**_

_**--Enter – The Akatsuki—**_

"You seem very happy this morning," Tsunade said warily to her hyperactive step-son.

Naruto nodded cheerfully and continued piling food onto the already ridiculous amount on his plate. Tsunade eyed the rapidly growing pile with apprehensive eyes. "Don't you have double Health first up?" she asked him skeptically. _'He's going to be getting one heck of a bad stomach ache later.'_

"Yep!" said Naruto merrily, adding a 5th pancake.

"Then _why _are you eating so much?" Another pancake made it's way to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Letting out a chuckle, Naruto patted his stomach heartily and said, "It'll give me more energy! And I have a good appetite today!" After giving his compilation a satisfied look he began digging into his breakfast – digging pretty quickly at that.

Tsunade laughed and shook her head, giving up on trying to persuade Naruto. Looking at his smile and hearing his laughter was making her feel happy too. _'I haven't seen him laugh like that for an age.'_ She wondered what had caused it.

_--Homeroom—_

The bubbly, blonde, ball of joy that was Naruto sat humming at his desk all through the time Kakashi was calling the roll. As the perverted teacher finished, Naruto swung around to Sasuke and asked enthusiastically "Looking forward to health?"

The class froze as they looked at Sasuke, and wondered whether Naruto had gone completely nuts. Who talked to Sasuke like that?! They held their breath in suspense as all eyes and attention focused on the ice prince who was looking boredly at the front of the room.

Waiting.

"It's a class like any other," Sasuke said shortly without looking.

'_HE ANSWERED!' _everyone in the room thought simultaneously in shock, albeit for Sasuke and Naruto.

Naruto nodded and grinned. "Bet I'm faster than you."

Sasuke's reply was to shrug, and then get up and leave the room as the bell went. The class he'd left behind instantly went into uproar.

­­_--In the change rooms—_

Sasuke slowly unbuttoned his shirt, frowning to himself.

Being the cold and powerful leader of Akuma as well as the younger brother of an equally reputable man had meant that Sasuke had been avoided by the majority of people for almost all his high-school life. He accepted that, and he liked it that way too. He didn't care for any _bonds_ to those fools.

'_So why does it feel so __good when I talk to Naruto?' _An image of Naruto's happy face during homeroom flashed into his mind and he felt troubled. He pulled his navy collared white sports shirt on over his head and grumbled as he managed to get some cotton in his mouth.

"Sasuke."

Already fully changed, Neji came up behind Sasuke with his bag over his back.

After looking briefly to see who it was Sasuke changed from his long pants into black, baggy, shorts. "What is it?" he asked uncaringly.

Neji leaned on the lockers in the room, his white eyes eyeing Sasuke warily. "What happened between you and Naruto?" he asked, carefully selecting his choice of words.

Incredulous, Sasuke gave Neji a weird look in the middle of folding his pants.

Neji sighed. "I mean, why do you seem to get along now. Just yesterday you were at each other's necks. What was up in homeroom?"

Sasuke sat down on the bench and began tying up the shoe laces on his Fila shoes. "What does it matter to you?" he said callously.

Neji laughed but his eyes remained distrustful. "Nothing. Just curious. After all, we've never seen you take to someone so easily. You're losing your touch Sasuke."

Turning around, he began to leave the room. As the heavy, yellow door was about to swing shut behind him though, he stopped it with his foot and turned back around. Sasuke looked up from packing his stuff into his bag. _'What now?'_ he thought crossly.

"I think you ought to know, Sasuke," Neji said, "that Akatsuki has begun causing trouble again."

Sasuke growled. _'That jerk, Itachi.' _

"But they're going smaller scale than before," Neji continued. "It seems that they don't want to attract too much attention to themselves yet. It's been like that since Kakuzu died." He nodded grimly at Sasuke and with that note he left the change rooms.

Sasuke stared at the flapping door for a moment as he thought about what Neji had said. _'Akatsuki is moving again…' _

It was a bleak thought, and it meant that Akuma would have to work harder now.

'_What are you playing at Itachi?'_

Once this preliminary thought had crossed his mind a more important matter plagued Sasuke's brain. '_You're losing your touch Sasuke.'_

Sasuke snorted. Yeah right.

_'Naruto's nothing special.' _

But he dimly knew that wasn't true.

He zipped up his bag, threw it over his shoulder and walked out the door where he began climbing the set of stone steps that lead up to the oval. As he climbed he was bothered again by the stupid words coming from the back of his head. _'Naruto IS different. And admit it Sasuke, you feel comfortable with him.'_

'_I do not,' _he thought furiously. But everyone knows that the voice at the back of your head is always the right one.

'_I__ will not acknowledge anyone,' _he thought coldly as he reached the top of the steps.

Throwing his bag in the pile at the edge of the oval, he walked calmly with hands in his pockets to where Gai was standing in his ridiculous green tracksuit and overlooking everyone warming up on the track. As Sasuke approached, the over-eccentric teacher cried out, "Late, Sasuke! There's no time to waste! Out there, 20 laps warm up!"

When Sasuke did nothing but glare, Gai shouted, "Where is your enthusiasm!? Your power of youth!? Why, Naruto and Lee are on their 16th laps already!" Gai did a little dance that had Sasuke wondering where his soap was- he wanted to wash his eyes out.

'_What?!' _he thought as he recounted what Gai had said.

Gai nodded excitedly to the stunned expression on Sasuke's face and stabbed a finger to the left. "Behold! My new star student!"

Sasuke's jaw almost detached itself. Naruto and Lee were running level with each other at least 5 times faster than everyone else and had almost reached where he and Gai were standing for the end of their 17th lap. And even more shocking was that Lee, _Lee, _the fastest kid in the whole Konoha district by far, actually looked like he was trying- while Naruto seemed to be having the time of his life.

Gai was holding a stopwatch that had appeared in his hand out of no where and Sasuke peered at the numbers flashing across the digital screen. His eyes bulged as they registered what they were seeing.

'_17 laps in 10__ minutes?!'_

As Naruto and Lee crossed the line simultaneously , Gai brought one hand crashing down and stopped the stopwatch with the other.

"A new record!" he exclaimed. He proceeded to do a disgusting belly dance and Sasuke backed away. _'I live in an insane world with insane people doing insane things.'_

He shook his head in disbelief and fixed his eyes on where Naruto and Lee were standing 5 meters away from him.

Both of them were panting for breath, Lee more so than Naruto. Grinning happily, Naruto shook Lee's outstretched hand before catching sight of Sasuke. He walked over to where Sasuke was standing and asked gleefully "Think you can beat that?"

Like Sasuke was ever going to outwardly say no. "If you could beat Lee then you could beat anyone in Konoha," he said stingily. _'What else can he do?' _he thought.

Naruto smiled happily and Sasuke couldn't stop it. The whole class looked with jaws gaping and eyes wide as Sasuke Uchiha smiled back at Naruto, not realizing he was doing so.

Neji stood in shadow at the edge of the field with murderous intent leaking from him.

Sakura had just finished her lap and she was looking faintly at Sasuke. _'He's never even smiled at ME!' _

And looking over all of them high up in the grandstands, a 12th grader with a long blonde ponytail scrutinized Naruto with narrowed eyes.

'_I've definitely seen him from somewhere,' _he thought._ 'One of my one night stands perhaps?'_

"Ok everyone!" shouted Gai. "Warm-up's over! I want you lot to get out the hurdles, set them up and do _fifty laps_!"

"!!" A storm of protests rang out, except for Lee and Naruto who were already halfway to the storage room.

Sasuke was left in bewilderment amongst a clamor of people and a particular Sakura who was hugging him as though her life depended on it. _His_ life depended on her letting go before he suffocated.

'_What was that just now?'_ Sasuke thought as he looked at Naruto's running form.

Deidera stiffened as a hand touched his shoulder. Instinctively, he grabbed the person's arm and locked it behind them.

"It's me, it's me!" shouted an annoyingly familiar voice.

Deidera recognized the black hair and eyes and released the person with an unsympathetic 'oops.'

"Jeez Tobi, don't sneak up on people," he scolded.

Tobi pouted like a kid and anger marks appeared on the side of Deidera's head.

"But Dei-de-ra," Tobi whined "you shouldn't be so mean! Everyone else in Akatsuki's been nice to me!" He had only joined at the beginning of the year so as to replace Kakuzu – and already Deidera was halfway on the highway to the psycho ward.

"Because they're not stuck in school with you five days a week!" Deidera roared.

He and Tobi were the only members of Akatsuki left at high school – everyone else was in their college years. And Deidera was sure sorry that that was the case.

Tobi was now yanking on his arm in an annoyingly child-like manner. "Aww, you don't mean that!"

"Do you want to _die_?!" Deidera reached threateningly into his bag and Tobi instantly shut his mouth.

"Now that's a good boy," Deidera said. He sat down on the seats and kept on looking over where Gai's class had finished setting up the hurdles and were starting to run the course. He smirked as Naruto did a clumsy trip over one.

He suddenly realized that there was black hair in his line of vision. "What are you looking at D?" Tobi had leaned over so that his head was right next to Deidera's as he tried to see what the blonde was looking at.

Tobi shivered as a gust of frigid wind blew from behind him.

"TOBI!!"

He ran for it, yelling as he did "Meeting's in room 18 next period!" Deidera threw a rock after the fleeing idiot.

'_Next period?'_

Deidera checked the watch on his wrist and grasped that he had only 5 minutes to get there. None of the others would like it if he was late. Forgetting about his sight-seeing he grabbed his bag and ran down the stairs off the field on his way to Room 18.

The bell rang just as he made it to the door, where Tobi was standing outside with a frustratingly smug look on his face. "Tsk, tsk," said Tobi, wagging a finger at him.

"Go die in a hole somewhere," Deidera shot at him. Together, the two of them pushed open the door and entered the smoky room inside.

Tobi gagged from next to Deidera and he grinned at him. "Get used to it newbie. You'll be seeing and smelling a lot more of this kinda stuff."

Tobi nodded and looked through watering eyes at the rest of the people in the room. The rest of Akatsuki.

Kisame, Sasori, Hidan were sitting some feet away from each other, smoking on some drug that as of yet, Tobi had no interest in trying. Kisame was the only one out of them to acknowledge their entrance, slightly raising the stick he was puffing on.

Pein and his girlfriend Konan were kissing and making out on a table in the back corner of the room. No acknowledgement expected from them.

And sitting cross-legged on the teacher's desk up the front sat Itachi, leader to them all. He glared at the new-comers.

And these eight were the members of Akatsuki.

Tobi fidgeted nervously with his sleeves as he looked at the other intimidating people in the room. He'd met Itachi and Kisame because they were the ones who'd let him join, and he knew Deidera because they were in school together but this was the first time that he was meeting everyone else since he'd entered Akatsuki.

Deidera noticed and nudged him slightly. "Relax," he whispered. He pulled Tobi over to some desks a few rows back from Itachi and forced Tobi down into one while he sat himself at another one.

"Put those out now," Itachi uttered softly to the smokers. They nodded and chucked their smoldering sticks into the rubbish bin. "And Pein, Konan, cut it out."

Pein broke up from where he had been biting the skin on Konan's neck and looked in disappointment at Itachi. Itachi gave him a menacing look and he quickly pulled Konan up, sitting himself on the table behind her with his arms around her waist.

"Introduce yourself Tobi," Itachi said, giving a slight nod.

Nervously, and with a bit of encouragement from Deidera (a painful prod), Tobi stood up. The rest of the room looked at him skeptically as he stuttered out "I'm Tobi, same grade as Deidera. Nice to meet everyone."

Hidan – the guy with shoulder length white hair- roared with laughter. "What were you guys thinking, letting this kid in? He looks like he wants to piss his pants!"

Tobi went red and hurriedly sat back down.

"I'm sure Itachi had _some_ reason for letting him in – other than because he's a pretty little boy that is," said Sasori dully.

Itachi glared at Sasori slightly but said, "That's right. Since Kakuzu was killed we lost our hacker and our source of information. I was told by Deidera that Tobi was an expert in breaking codes and getting information normally inaccessible."

Hidan gave a snort. "He's a _12__th__ grader_. What could he possibly do?"

"Hey! What's that suppose to -" Deidera half stood up from his chair but Kisame had appeared at his side in a flash and put a hand on his shoulder. Deidera sat back down, throwing dirty looks at Hidan.

"We will see what he can do in due time," Itachi said coldy, "but in the meantime we'll just have to put up with this – we can't keep our own against Akuma's Shikamaru otherwise. We still can't risk attracting too much attention to ourselves and they've been taking full advantage of that to mess with our data as well as try and overturn us. My foolish little brother has been seeing to that."

"Why don't you just knock the brat out or something?" Deidera asked. "And then give him to me," he added as an afterthought.

"We are related after all," Itachi said softly. "I'm not _yet_ tempted on doing in my last living relative."

Tobi's breathing was finally starting to return to normal and he wondered what the others were talking about. He voiced his thoughts freely. "Why can't we attract attention?"

He wished he hadn't as the air in the room was suddenly filled with tension.

"I thought you would have told him by now Deidera," Itachi said in a dangerously low voice.

"Ahaha, my bad," Deidera said, scratching the back of his head. He looked hopefully around at the other people in the room, as though for a bit of help.

"Some months back," Pein spoke for the first time, "we had a bit of trouble in Northside with a gang." Konan shifted uncomfortably in his arms.

Hidan growled and punched the table. "Still can't believe them lot. The _Jinchuuriki_."

"The _only_ gang to have ever given us such trouble," Kisame added, as if wanting to reinforce Akatsuki's superiority.

"What happened?" Tobi dared to ask, not noticing the warning look from Deidera.

"They were the strongest gang in Northside," Sasori said absently. Tobi perceived that Sasori didn't seem to express much emotion at all.

"As well as the most good-looking," Kisame added, grinning rather teasingly at Itachi as he said this. "They paid the consequences for messing with us."

"But they managed to take down Kakuzu with them," reminded Konan.

"Pity though/" Kisame ignored her and continued, still grinning. "And Itachi was really interested in one of them." He laughed as Itachi flexed a hand dangerously.

Hidan made a wolf whistle and said, "Which one was it? Did you get him?" It was common knowledge among all of them that Itachi's preferences were for guys – and that he was not above using violence to get them.

"Their leader I believe," joined in Sasori in a bored voice. Everyone seemed to be enjoying ganging up on Itachi, who was looking more and more bad tempered by the second.

"They were all known as 'demons'. And their leader was the Kyuubi – the Demon Fox," Hidan said dramatically.

"It's no use now though," Kisame said with a malicious grin. "They're all dead and gone for not paying homage to Akatsuki."

"Enough," Itachi said finally. His eyes were fierce, his expression murderous. "I don't want mention of this ever again…else I'll send you the same way as the Jinchuuriki went." He got off the table and with a slam of the door was out the classroom as the bell went for lunch, signaling the end of 4th period.

"He better get out the gates before any of the students see him…," said Kisame, checking the time on his phone.

"Who are you kidding?" Pein said as he returned to Konan. "Itachi probably _wants_ those poor kids to see him."

"You guys are alright in here," Deidera told the others. "I've checked, and there's no classes in here for the rest of the day."

"Even if there were classes," Sasori said, "they won't be going ahead with us here."

Deidera nodded slightly and then turned to leave the room. Along the way he grabbed the shell-shocked Tobi and wheeled him out the room with him.

In the hall outside Tobi wiped the sweat from his brow as they walked towards the cafeteria. "I can't believe it…you guys killed off a whole gang."

"Leave it Tobi. It was either them or us," Deidera said coldly. "They wouldn't give up like the others, and it got to that point."

'_What have I gotten myself into?'_ Tobi thought fearfully.

"Just don't mention this in front of Itachi," Deidera said warningly. "He's _extremely _sensitive about it for some reason." He shook his head in bewilderment, not knowing why Itachi would be worrying about such things.

_'They're all gone now. He can't seriously be regretting not getting his hands on their leader can he?'_

Tobi sweat dropped as he wondered what would worry Itachi at all.

"Hang on a moment…," Deidera said suddenly. He stopped in his tracks and his eyes were widened as he looked in stunned disbelief at the floor directly in front of him.

"Anything wrong D?" Tobi asked as he stopped alongside him.

Deidera was gawking in horror through unfocused eyes.

_'No…' _

_Hopeless, the person threw the dagger drenched with blood to the floor. Golden locks streaked through with red cascaded down over eyes, hiding them from sight. The mouth twisted into a desolate smile as he slowly got to his feet..._

"That blonde haired 11th grader…it's _him_!" he exclaimed wildly. He turned around and began running down to the opposite end of the hall, leaving Tobi more confused than ever.

"I'll get you a burger!" Tobi yelled out after him. Scratching his head, he shrugged and walked off.

Deidera's mind was racing. '_How is this possible?__' _he thought as he ran towards the sports field._ 'We killed them! We killed them all and made sure no one would ever find out! But the resemblance…I thought I recognized him from somewhere.' _

He shook his head furiously.

'_Does the Demon Fox still live?'_

* * *

Naruto finished rubbing the antiseptic cream onto the cuts on his knees and elbows and got up, wincing as he felt the pain in them. _'Maybe I should've listened and gone a bit slower,' _he thought sheepishly. Not only had he set the record for fastest time to complete the hurdles course but he'd also broken the record for the number of falls done doing it.

He was alone in the change room because everyone else had gone off to lunch while he was tending to his cuts. Sighing, he changed out of his sports uniform and into his normal one. He spun the tie around in his hand hesitantly. _'Well…it's uniform. Can't get away NOT wearing it.'_

He put it around his neck and began knotting it, but before he could finish a loud BANG and thundering footsteps startled him and he turned around, only to come face to face with a tall, dark-eyed, blonde 12th grader.

"What –" Naruto began.

He didn't finish because in one violent motion, Deidera had slammed him into a locker, holding him there by the neck. "You!" Deidera snarled. "Why the fuck are you here?!"

Deidera was panicking, and he was scared. _'Does he want revenge? Is that why he's here?'_

Naruto gasped weakly, stunned by the impact his head had made with the locker and by the pressure on his neck. "What are you talking about?" he managed to say.

"Don't screw around with me! _Why are you alive?!_" Deidera's voice was almost pleading.

Naruto shook his head, blue eyes widened in terror as they looked into Deidera's wild dark ones. He clutched at the hands around his neck and tugged but he didn't have the strength to free himself – his air was almost all gone. _'Who…why is he doing this?!'_

"You're the nine tailed demon fox," Deidera said, voice cracking. "Well I'm going to send you down to the rest of your demon friends!"

_'Before he does it first.'_

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Naruto screamed finally.

Perhaps it was the shock of hearing Naruto shout but Deidera let go and Naruto sunk down to the ground where he lay gasping. Deidera retreated backwards, his confusion acting as a temporary drug and stopping his movements.

Breathing raggedly, Naruto looked up at Deidera uncertainly. "I don't know what you're talking about," he repeated in a strengthening voice, "but I'm pretty sure that if I've done something to insult you in the three days that I've been here it's still no reason to call me a demon and kill me."

"You…," Deidera said slowly and doubtfully. "You're not him? You're not Kyuubi?" His recollection of what had happened in Northside was hazy. And he'd only actually seen the Demon Fox once.

_'It would be helpful if I knew his true name...'_

"Whoever that is, no, I am not," Naruto said firmly.

Deidera looked suspiciously at him. "How do I know you're not planning something and this is just to trick me?"

"You don't," Naruto said. "But really, I don't know what you're talking about, and I don't want to." He touched a hand to his neck hesitantly, grimacing as he felt the bruising starting to appear.

Deidera kept on staring at Naruto as he picked himself up from the ground.

_'If he IS kyuubi, then I might very well be dead by now, or at least on the floor,'_ he thought. _'And now that I think about it, the kyuubi didn't have those markings on his face.' _

Naruto looked nervously at him and Deidera stepped back, calmer now that he was starting to see the differences between Naruto and the Demon Fox. "You'd best not tell anyone what happened here," he warned.

Naruto nodded and then Deidera left, crashing through the door.

"What was that about?" Naruto asked quietly to no-one. _'Another weirdo to add to the list.'_

But being the joyful person he was, he wasn't going to let that ruin his day. He shook his head a few times as though to clear it and then smiled to himself.

* * *

This chapter was so hard to write, completely couldn't decide what personality to give Akatsuki...

Review!!

Next Chapter - Trouble does come


	6. The Master of Pranks

I'm sorry it's so late! Gomen!!

" " – speaking

' ' – _thinking_

_Italics Only – Flashbacks/Memories_

* * *

__

_**--Chapter Six—**_

_**--The Master of Pranks—**_

Sasuke twisted in his king-sized bed, kicking and knotting his sheets. His brow was creased with thoughts that refused him rest. Realizing that he was not going to be getting any sleep that way, he pushed off all his sheets and just lay staring up at the grey ceiling, the poor, poor ceiling which was now taking the brunt of his glare. He growled and pulled a hand through his dark hair in frustration.

Some rooms down the hallway, the moans coming from Itachi's room were somehow weaving their way through the walls and doors very clearly to Sasuke's ears. But this wasn't what was causing him sleeping troubles. If they were the reason, he would be an insomniac. No…he was being troubled by other thoughts.

"_Hey, sorry I took so long!" Naruto exclaimed as he sat himself between Sasuke and Sakura. His eyes were upside down U's and he was completely oblivious to the death-threatening vibes that Sakura was giving off. __Good looking or not, Naruto was nothing to her in comparison to her precious Sasuke._

"_Here, I got some lunch for you," Chouji said as he passed Naruto a wrapped up burger. _

_Naruto grinned happily and said, "Thanks, but you didn't have to. Tsunade made me lunch." He passed it back to Chouji who took it without complaint._

_As Naruto pulled his bag up over his head, Sasuke noticed a flash of discoloration on the tanned neck. He wasn't the only one. Kiba's sharp eyes had also caught it and he was instantly next to Naruto, a wide grin plastered on his face. _

"_Naruto? Is that a HICKEY?" he said in a high and dramatic voice, putting a hand to his mouth in exaggerated shock._

_Naruto turned very faintly pink and yelled, "No! What –"_

_He was cut off from whatever he had to say as Sasuke had grabbed him by the chin and turned him around, tilting his head up so that everyone could see the mix of purple and red bruising on Naruto's neck._

_Naruto instantly pushed away Sasuke's hand and self-consciously put his own up to his neck as he glared at him._

_Sakura was very suddenly gone from her spot next to Naruto as Neji, Kiba, Lee, Chouji and Shikamaru all materialized at his side, staring at what his fingers were unsuccessfully trying to cover. _

"_You didn't get those from health class did you?" Kiba asked skeptically._

'_There goes that excuse,' Naruto thought dryly._

"_Aah! Naruto is so enthusiastic!" Lee exclaimed, clasping his hands together._

"_Kiba was joking Lee, joking," Shikamaru sighed._

_Neji half-opened his mouth but Sasuke beat him to it._

_Slowly, Sasuke asked in a low voice, "What happened to your neck, dobe?" _

_Still glaring, __Naruto shifted and didn't say anything._

"_It looks like someone tried to choke him. The finger marks…" Shikamaru said observantly._

_Sasuke's eyes flashed and his next word was uttered dangerously and layered with anger. _

"_Who?" _

_He was addressing Naruto, who was no longer glaring but kept his mouth determinately shut and shook his head very slightly. He didn't want to see another beaten up body._

_Getting to his feet, __Sasuke lost it. "Which fucken asshole did it?!" he shouted angrily. And all too loudly. The rest of the cafeteria was looking up at him in a mixture of fear and surprise. _

_Sasuke stared at them, temporarily frozen by the sudden lock that seemed to have taken effect on his brain. _

_'Shit…'_

_Naruto was also surprised but he had no chance to question Sasuke, because the Uchiha had already gone._

Sasuke had lost control. And he had absolutely no idea why.

'_It doesn't make sense!' _he thought furiously. _'Why…why was I so worried about the idiot?!'_

He wanted to hope that it was because Naruto was a member of Akuma, and so he therefore should be somewhat defensive of him because of that. But then, this theory was discarded because Sasuke knew that if it had happened to any of the others, he wouldn't have yelled like that. He would have gone and beaten up the bastard who did it till he couldn't raise a finger…but he would not have been _worried._

Could it be that he actually cared for Naruto as something more than just a possible asset to Akuma?

* * *

Pale like a vampire and glaring murderously like one, Sasuke was _very_ carefully avoided the next day.

Even Naruto wasn't foolish enough to ignore the lethal warnings that Sasuke was giving off. Until Health theory class.

As Sasuke sat at his desk emitting 'leave me alone or die' waves, Kakashi began walking around handing out an assignment on paper. The silver-haired teacher was smirking slyly, and the way in which he was handling the assignment papers…it was somewhat like a father with his baby.

Whatever was on that piece of paper could not be good.

Sasuke watched from the corner of his eye as next to him Naruto enthusiastically took the paper from Kakashi and began scanning the contents. A frown began to seep across the blonde's face and Sasuke wondered in dread what was causing it. Naruto messed up his hair unconsciously and Sasuke felt annoyed as he realized he was once again focusing attention on him.

As the piece of paper was placed down in front of him Sasuke let out a half-splutter of surprise and embarrassment and then gave Kakashi a glare of utmost disgust and annoyance. _'THAT FIRST CLASS PERVERT!' _he thought as Kakashi gave a wonky wink and grinned.

Having handed out an assignment to everyone, Kakashi returned to his seat at the front and began running through the assignment in a smug and ultimately _perverted_ voice.

"Well then, now that everyone's got a copy I'll run through it with you. As you no doubt know by now you get an assignment every year to work on which is due by the end of the year, and this assignment is set by your teacher, in your case, me. However, since this year is rather _special_ in that you are now all mature enough to start learning about the birds and the bees, the assignment will _naturally _be about such." Kakashi could no longer keep the excitement out of his voice and he clasped his hands together in glee as his eyes sparkled. "Yes…this year, you will all be researching about safe sex and the works!"

'_THAT PRICK!' _Sasuke screamed inwardly, _'IF IT WASN'T FOR THE FACT THE IDIOTS WOULD SEND ME TO A MENTAL INSTITUTE, HE'D BE GOING DOWN!' _

The rest of the class had broken out into talk. However, this talk was dominated by excitement not unlike what Kakashi had been emanating. Girls were chattering shamelessly about past experiences and the guys were smirking, obviously pleased with the assignment.

Sasuke was pissed to no end. Seeing Itachi at work was enough! He needed no more research when the crazed, real life example which he lived with was every instance of _unsafe _sex.

"Oh," Kakashi interrupted, "did I mention…that this is a _partner _assignment?"

Kakashi shivered and purposefully made to avoid the daggers coming from Sasuke's eyes.

'_I DON'T CARE IF I'M GOING TO A MENTAL INSTITUTE! HE'S A DEAD MAN!' _

As expected, Sasuke was instantly swamped by a dozen girls who all began pulling incessantly on his clothing and hair. From what he could make out through the flying limbs and blue skirts, Naruto was also being attacked by a couple of girls…and guys. The blonde was completely caught off guard and his face was alarmed as he tried to move backwards away from the hands attempting to grab him.

'_Those bitches!' _Sasuke thought as he gritted his teeth. _'Wait, why the hell am I worrying about him?! I've got my own worries!' _The girls had forgotten all about Sasuke's earlier foul mood and were now trying to _grope_ him.

Still pissed from his sleepless night, he was about to do a low slice kick in the hopes of sending all the female population flying when Kakashi called out the magic words that halted all movement.

"Your partners have _already been chosen_."

Instantly, people sullenly walked back to their seats with heads bowed, throwing wistful looks behind at the guys and threatening glares at Kakashi.

Fearless, Kakashi cleared his voice and began talking. "Due to obvious circumstances girls have been paired up with girls, and guys with guys." He paused to let the groans from the girls –most notably Sakura and Ino- go by before continuing. He took a slip of parchment from the desk before him and began reading.

"Partners will be as follows."

"Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka." The two girls glared at each other.

"Chouji Akimichi and Rock Lee." Chouji and Lee exchanged a high five.

The list continued, and Naruto watched eagerly while Sasuke was feeling a tugging at his mind. There was a premonition…he just somehow knew…

'_Please not be Naruto, please not be Naruto.' _Right now, all of Sasuke's prayers were directed at that one wish. He didn't know why, and perhaps if he'd not been so deprived of sleep, he would've noticed just how infatuated he was.

But the last pairing finally came, and there was no doubt. "Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki," sang out Kakashi. He grinned at the pair of them and said, "Since you two seem to get along quite well, then it's only fitting that we pair Sasuke with someone he won't kill."

Sasuke sagged slightly in his seat, face expressionless. Naruto came up to him and said happily, "We're working on it together Sasuke! That's great!" He kept on chattering, the raven-haired teen not hearing a word of it.

Sasuke didn't answer Naruto, just giving a curiously strained look. _'Why him?' _Naruto was smiling sincerely at him, his eyes an impossibly bright shade of blue.

Sasuke wanted so much to just spill out everything to that face...

'_NO!' _His had to try several times before his voice would work.

"Why him?" he asked Kakashi in a shaky voice.

Naruto suddenly looked as though he'd been told a relative had died. Stopping all movement he stared at Sasuke in disbelief, and a hurt look began creeping into his eyes.

"Ahh," said Kakashi slowly. "I would've thought you'd be happy with Naruto as your partner? After all…you're friends aren't you?"

'_Friends…?'_

"Friends…?" Sasuke muttered bitterly. "What shit are you talking?" His head was bowed, the fingers of his right hand spread on the desk in front of him.

"Teme, what the hell are you saying?!" Naruto asked angrily. _'Is he serious?' _he thought as he looked at Sasuke.

Sasuke shot to his feet and whipped around in one quick step to face Naruto. He forced himself to avoid the blue eyes that were no longer sparkling merrily but were filled with sadness and surprise. _'No...no way!' _

"You…you are not my friend," he said quietly.

_You are not my friend..._

The classroom was silent for a moment. Naruto's mouth was open very slightly, he didn't know what to do apart from gape. He swallowed hard and began saying "What-"

"Do you not get it?" Sasuke spat. "You are not my friend, _dobe_. I've known you for not 5 days and you expect there to be _any_ friendship between us? You flatter yourself." He stopped talking as his passage constricted with regret. A deep, painful regret which spread from his heart to it's source…to where Naruto was now standing, smaller than before. And to where he'd lowered his head to hide his eyes beneath golden bangs.

'_What are you doing to me?!' _Sasuke thought angrily. His fist clenched and only Naruto's voice stopped him from punching the desk next to him into splinters.

"Is that so…Uchiha?" Naruto whispered tonelessly. Sasuke flinched at the voice and use of his last name and he recoiled in shock at the sheer hurt and pain in Naruto's eyes as the blonde finally lifted his head.

Naruto's lip trembled for the slightest moment before his expression hardened and his eyes narrowed and became ice. "I'm sorry for assuming such things as _friendship_ with you, Uchiha," he said coldly. "See you around…_teme_."

Naruto packed his things and left the classroom 15 minutes early, feeling sorrowful and angry and pained all at once.

He left Sasuke feeling a hundred times worse.

* * *

"Naruto?"

Tsunade gently pushed opened the door which Naruto had slammed hours before upon getting home, and entered his bedroom.

Blonde locks could be seen poking out from beneath the covers, and Tsunade could see Naruto had coiled himself under them.

With a soft 'creak', she sat on the end of his bed. "What's wrong Naruto?"

Under his covers Naruto screwed his eyes shut and hoped Tsunade would leave him alone if he feigned sleep. He heard her soft sigh and the sound of a smoothly closing door as she left his room.

Naruto slowly pulled the covers off himself to reveal he was still in his uniform. He cast a miserable look at the closed door.

'_I'm such an idiot.'_

* * *

_--Next day--_

"Hey, have you seen Naruto around?" Kiba asked Sasuke during lunch. It was second-half and they were out in the quad. His face was worried, and Sasuke felt like punching it in just for that. "He wasn't in physics or biology."

Lee pulled him away and Sasuke thought he knew what they were whispering about. Kiba wasn't in his Health class, so he wouldn't know yet. His suspicions were confirmed as Kiba gave a displeased look and frowned.

He and Lee sat down on the benches next to Sasuke and Sasuke could feel a lecture coming on.

"Dude…why do you always make yourself seem so _impassive_?" Kiba sighed.

"And don't deny it," he interrupted, putting a hand up as Sasuke opened his mouth. "Others may not know it, but we as well as Shika and the others do. We know how badly you feel about the matter of your brother, but is it really so important that you'd detach yourself from everyone?"

"We know you're not like that," Lee said, and for once he wasn't being loud and happy. "We're you're friends so we know how you're really like, or else we wouldn't be hanging around with you. I don't think what you said to Naruto was true."

"What would you know?" Sasuke murmured. They didn't get it. Naruto was different. And it was this difference that was causing Sasuke to soften...it was melting the way to the heart which he had frozen so long ago. But Sasuke couldn't afford to lose focus now. Not yet...

He was answered by neither Kiba or Lee, but by another voice.

"That on the outside you may be a heartless, absolute bastard but in reality that's just your act." Shikamaru made his entrance, hands in pockets and supremely bored. Sasuke cursed Shikamaru's intelligence and inference abilities as he moved over for him to fit on the bench.

Kiba laughed. "Yeah buddy, cut out the tough guy charade!" He clapped Sasuke on the back and Lee was laughing too.

Sasuke looked from one to the other, and a trapped feeling began dawning on him.

"Stop-stop laughing- SHUT UP!"

They shut up and beheld Sasuke standing and glaring at them angrily. "You don't know what I'm thinking…so don't make it out that you do." Turning on his heel, he made his way up into the main building as the bell went.

'_I don't want it to be…but they're right,' _he thought heatedly. _'I'm such an idiot.'_

"AAAHHH!"

'_Ah?'_

Sasuke turned into a left corridor and froze in his tracks with his chin on the floor.

_'Oh god…I should be running shouldn't I?' _But he didn't, because his brain was telling him what he was seeing _couldn't be real_.

Everyone was rushing away from a tide of water half a meter high which appeared to be coming from other corridors, as well as another door.

_'The bathrooms,' _Sasuke thought.

The water was meeting at the end of the main corridor at which Sasuke was standing, and then gaining velocity to go sweeping down towards where he was. Students were getting bowled over as the water caught up to them and Sasuke could only stare.

Before he could move, he was swept over by water and people. Hitting a wall, he used it to pull himself up out of the (thankfully) clear water and stood there, reeling with the complete abnormality of it all.

'_There__ CANNOT be a tsunami going through the school!' _he thought.

As the forefront of the tide reached the front doors and flooded out the water inside receded to muddy puddles. It was in one of these puddles that Sasuke was left standing, unable to react.

A flash caught his attention and he looked up just in time to see a golden streak disappear around a corner.

_

* * *

_"So that was what Naruto was doing this morning," Shikamaru said interestedly.

School was out early. There was no way they could go to lessons when the corridors were muddy and the teachers were going insane. Boy, were the cleaners going to have a field day.

Changed into his dry sport clothes, Sasuke sat up straight in his chair and glared at Shikamaru.

"What was Naruto doing?"

He, Shikamaru, Neji, Lee, Chouji and Kiba were in the food court of the nearby mall, not being much for going back home so early.

Shikamaru gave a little jerk of the head. "Why do you want to know? I thought he wasn't anyone you'd give a damm about?"

He and all the others were not at all happy about Sasuke's treatment of Naruto. They all found Naruto an easy person to be around, and they also suspected Sasuke was feeling the same.

But what they didn't know was that this was exactly why Sasuke was cracking under pressure.

"I'll tell you!" he said hastily as Sasuke clenched the table so tightly his knuckles went white.

"I saw Naruto in the bathrooms during 2nd period," he mumbled. "He was doing something with the tap, but I figured at the time that it was just broken and he was trying to get it to work."

"_Naruto_ did all of that?" Kiba exclaimed.

Sasuke was looking skeptical, and Shikamaru said, "I don't know if he did it, but that was what I saw."

Sasuke waved a hand, dismissing the idea. _'There's no way that dobe can do anything like that.'_

The next morning, Naruto listened in satisfaction from the roof of the main building in school as a number of explosions rocked through the recently cleaned corridors. He grinned as he imagined the dust and soot which would now need to be removed.

A laugh escaped him when he saw the people running out the doors down below and he leaned dangerously over the edge to watch as Sasuke came out with the others, coughing on the copious amounts of dark smoke which was emerging from the door. Naruto forced down the feelings of repentance.

'_He deserves it,' _he thought grimly. _'Always being so high and mighty…it doesn't hurt to be human.'_

The bombs he'd planted were miniature ones which exploded of their own accord when exposed to pressure. He'd situated them very carefully between the hinges of peoples lockers so that when the locker was opened, the pressure placed on the packet would cause the chemical reaction which lead to the bomb activating.

'_Hehe…Konoha, meet the master of pranks,' _he thought proudly. _'If there's anything I can do, it's drive some teachers up the wall.'_

He procrastinated for a moment more before getting up and walking to the side of the roof where he could make his way down - he had gates to lock as part of his next installment of trickery.

Naruto didn't notice the dark eyes which had turned in his direction.

* * *

"Sasuke, calm down!"

Sasuke didn't listen. The druggie before him was half-dead, but he kept on going. A kick to the head and the man flew some feet back to lay motionless on the floor.

Hands grabbed his arms before he could move, and he allowed himself to be steered out of the alley. He could faintly hear the others' voices, saying things like "did you want to kill him?!" and "he was just a lowly junkie". He wanted to block it all out, but he didn't, letting them lead him the direction of Shikamaru's house.

_--Shikamaru's House--_

"Shikamaru, bring up Naruto's file!" Sasuke almost shouted. He pushed himself into the chair next to Shikamaru's laptop and flipped it open, signing on for the computer whiz. He was hitting the keyboard so hard that the others soon came running.

Shikamaru and Kiba walked into the room, the rest having gone to their own homes. "What-"

"Just do it!"

Kiba flopped himself down onto the bed to watch while Shikamaru sat in another chair and began going through screens filled with data, codes and passwords. "Why do you want it?"

"You'll see," Sasuke muttered.

Tapping a few keys, Shikamaru said, "OK, I'm at his file. Now just to get in."

His fingers began speeding over the keys in what looked to Sasuke to be no particular order. But he didn't doubt Shikamaru's abilities- the kid could hack into government files if he wanted.

So when a message saying 'Access Denied' appeared on the screen, Sasuke's eyes all but bulged in their sockets.

"What?!" was the exclamation that came from all three people in the room. The room swam before Sasuke's eyes as that little message burned itself into his head.

"Maybe I entered a wrong digit," Shikamaru said. He began the process again, going slightly slower this time. A sense of foreboding hung in the air – Shikamaru had never had to try _twice_ on the same file.

But once again 'Access Denied' appeared on the screen, and this time they knew that Shikamaru had not made any mistake.

Shikamaru's eyes were unnaturally wide and he pushed himself back from the laptop, staring at his beloved gadget in disbelief.

"Whoa Shika," Kiba said in awe. "You got beat. About time."

"Why can't you get in?" Sasuke demanded.

Shikamaru had a distant expression on his face as he turned to Sasuke. "The encryption. It's not one I've ever seen before. It's much more advanced and I can't crack it with the technology I've got."

"Why not?!"

"This isn't the work of the government," Shikamaru said seriously. "The encryption was layered over the original made by the officials. Someone else has tampered with the file to make it inaccessible to others, perhaps even the government."

Silence.

"How is that possible?" Kiba insisted. "And why Naruto?"

Shikamaru scratched at his head and shook it. "This is annoying...it'd have to have been done by an extremely skilful encoder. Which surprises me, because I have no idea why someone would want to –"

"Naruto planted those bombs today," Sasuke said. "He flooded the school yesterday, and he chained the gates shut."

The other two gaped at him silently.

"It's true," he muttered. "I wasn't sure yesterday but I thought I saw him after the water system blew. And you said you saw him in the bathrooms. But today, I definitely saw him on the roof. He was watching everyone leave the building when the smoke bombs went off. He knew about them."

He'd discovered yet another side to the beautiful, innocent blonde.

"Wha…whoa!" Kiba shouted. "That's _impressive_! I've met a rival!"

"Rival?" Shikamaru said as he rolled his eyes, "Kiba, your pranks are nothing compared to these. He's out of your league."

Sasuke was staring at the screen, where the message denying him access to the information he so wanted was still flashing…what he would give to see that file...

"Sasuke, I think you should do something about this," Shikamaru said suddenly.

Sasuke jerked in surprise. "You want me to send some people to beat him up?" he asked distractedly. Shikamaru had never struck him as the type who liked violence.

Shikamaru sighed and was almost glaring at this point. "No. Listen, this mess all started because you were a bastard to Naruto. And truthfully, I think you owe him."

Sasuke didn't say anything so Kiba carefully punched him lightly on the shoulder. Any harder and he would get one in return.

"Come on. Naruto's too good a friend to give up," he said seriously. And Kiba was never serious.

* * *

_--Sunday--_

"Naruto, I have a business meeting that's going to last a week. I'm going to be out of town for that time, so that means you'll be at home alone."

"OK." Naruto took a bite of his toast, swallowing it sluggishly. Not at all normal for the glutton.

Tsunade chewed worriedly on her own breakfast, noting how little Naruto had spoken for the past three days. He'd also accepted being at home alone way to easily. No tantrum, not even a smart aleck reply. Tsunade was pondering whether Naruto had heard what she'd said at all.

"Naruto, is everything alri-"

"Hey, it's 8:30 now. If you don't leave soon you're gonna be late for work," Naruto interjected, putting down his chopsticks.

'_I wish he'd tell me what's bothering him,' _Tsunade thought sadly.

Seeing that Tsunade wasn't moving, Naruto sighed and went to get her suitcase for her from the base of the stairs. He handed it to Tsunade and she ruffled his hair very slightly.

"Mom, I'm not a kid," Naruto chuckled. He just about overthrew this sentence when his face suddenly split into a wide, childish smile.

Tsunade couldn't help but laugh as Naruto walked into the living room and threw himself on the couch.

"Alright then, I'm off," she said. "Are you quite sure you want to stay at home the whole day?"

Naruto nodded without looking at her and flicked on the TV, waving a hand to motion to her to go.

Tsunade exhaled and shook her head.

Sitting on the couch, Naruto listened to the sound of the front door opening and Tsunade stepping outside. Her footsteps stopped for a moment, but he didn't think anything of it until Tsunade walked back into the living room.

Pulling himself up, he craned his neck around to look questioningly at his step-mom.

"There's someone at the door who wants to see you Naruto."

* * *

Next Chappy- Yah. The person at the door is who you think it is XD

See you next chapter! Review!


	7. Won't You Come Stay With Me?

" " – speaking

' '_- thinking_

_Italics Only – Flashbacks/Memories_

* * *

_**--Chapter Seven—**_

_**-**__**- Won't you come stay with me?—**_

When the door was opened by an amazingly tall and beautiful woman with the most _unbalanced _figure he had ever seen, Sasuke had swiftly wondered whether he'd gotten the wrong house. Although that would've meant the school records were wrong, since that was where he'd found Naruto's address – the government files had absolutely refused to yield any results.

'_She's HUGE!' _he thought in shock as the woman towered over him with her chest heaving in his face. _'And in more ways than one!'_

The woman was holding a suitcase and Sasuke could only presume that she had been preparing to leave for work. He himself was dressed in street-like attire – baggy jeans and black, graffiti design tank with a jacket thrown over - and he mentally cursed himself for the impression he must be making.

Realizing that he'd been staring he cleared his throat and bowed slightly. Even though he was somewhat conceited and at best sensible, Sasuke knew etiquette – after all, he came from a _very _prestigious family.

"Nice to meet you" he said pleasantly. "I'm looking for Naruto Uzumaki? I'm in his class at school. I want to talk to him about something, and maybe show him around since he's new in the area? "

The eyes of the blonde woman widened very slightly, but this was quickly replaced by a glowing smile. "You're after the gaki?" she said. "He's in the living room- I'll get him now!"

And a perplexed Sasuke watched as a positively joyful Tsunade bustled into the house, waving a hand for him to follow.

He did so rather reluctantly and found himself in the hallway of a beautifully renovated house, standing at the base of a carpeted staircase. _'He said he moved here recently' _he recalled. His own manor was a traditionally furnished home of brass and marble and filled with antiques, but Naruto's house was completely modern. It had a calm, happy atmosphere to the place.

'_Just like Naruto' _he considered. His thoughts of hair as golden as the sun and eyes of sparkling azure disappeared when thundering voices startled him from the room next door.

"THERE IS SOMEONE WAITING FOR YOU TO GET OUT THERE!" came the voice of Tsunade, magnified to 10 times it normal intensity.

"I DON'T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE!" Naruto shouted back. Sasuke was surprised at the unnaturally childlike voice that he was hearing, even when it was loud. But he didn't dwell on it, because the next voice he heard was far from angelic.

"IF YOU DON'T STOP BEING SO ANTI-SOCIAL I WILL PERSONALLY DELIVER YOU TO JIRAIYA'S, WHERE YOU WILL SPEND EVERYDAY UNTIL YOU LEARN TO MAKE FRIENDS!"

"…"

"You wouldn't" Naruto said in a hushed voice.

"Try me" came Tsunade's voice, half-sweet half-venomous.

'_I wonder who __this Jiraiya is…' _Sasuke wondered curiously. _'But it would seem that they're even more scary than this woman…' _

Scary thought.

"Fine! I'll go then!"

Naruto walked into the hallway that moment, dressed in track-pants and an oversized shirt. The words Sasuke had rehearsed the whole night before quickly slipped from his tongue as their eyes locked.

_'Naruto...'_

The confused expression on Naruto's face swiftly changed into an angry one, and he began striding towards Sasuke. "You?!" he yelled, his hair dancing around his face. The effect of his annoyance was somewhat lessened by his height and stomping. "What are you doing –"

"I want to talk…" Sasuke interrupted.

A slight pause and a look of surprise flickered across the blonde's face before "What the hell is there to –"

"Naruto! You're not going out dressed like that!" Tsunade yelled from the next room.

'_These two seem to like shouting a lot…' _Sasuke thought grimly.

"Aww, it's just around here" Naruto protested. "What's wrong with –"

"GO AND GET CHANGED NOW!" Tsunade roared, appearing in the doorway.

Naruto winced and poor Sasuke jumped a foot into the air, ruffled by the noise going on. Naruto grumbled before turning away from Sasuke and stalking up the stairs, sticking his tongue out at Tsunade as he went.

"I'll be down in a sec" he muttered to Sasuke without looking.

When he was out of sight Tsunade instantly reverted to a fond expression and chuckled to herself. She remembered that Sasuke was there and turned to him, a smile on her face.

'_Is she bipolar?!' _Sasuke thought in apprehension.

"Naruto must be such a troublemaker at school" Tsunade said conversationally, looking at the direction of the stairs. "I hope he hasn't done too much already."

'_Already…?'_

"No" Sasuke said slowly. "He hasn't."

'_No, no, because exploding lockers and overflowing toilets are __absolutely normal, everyday occurrences.'_

"That's good news" Tsunade said in relief. She gave Sasuke another fond smile and asked innocently "Are you a friend of his then?"

Those words again.

Sasuke's throat constricted, but he forced his face to remain impassive before Naruto's guardian as he finally formulated the word on his lips.

"…Yes."

It felt nice to be able to say that.

'_Because I want it to be true.__'_

If possible, Tsunade seemed to become even happier. "I appreciate that very much, you know" she said genuinely. "I didn't think he would be able to fit in so easily." She walked to where she'd placed her suitcase next to the kitchen table and looked at Sasuke over her shoulder as she reached it. "How rude of me, I forgot to ask your name." she recounted, putting a hand to her head. "You can call me Tsunade" she grinned.

"I'm Sasuke –"

"Is this good enough for you?!"

Distracted, Tsunade and Sasuke both turned to the doorway -

Where there now stood the biggest turn on in the whole, crazy world.

'_Argh__!' _Sasuke thought frenetically. _'Blood rushing to head, blood rushing to head!'_

He sniffled his nose nervously but didn't tear his eyes away from the sight before him – it would be torture to deprive himself of the spectacle facing him.

Naruto was standing before them, pouting with his hands on his hips where the precariously low waistband of baggy, khaki, cargo jeans were resting below his hip bone. The half-buttoned, short-sleeve shirt revealed both his haste at changing as well as the tanned skin on his slender torso. A denim belt hung loose down his side, and his blonde hair was framing his face like normal – stunning.

Sasuke was fighting to control his breathing, damming to hell Naruto's shimmering eyes and pouting face which was all but yelling 'fuck me' to the world.

'_Calm down! __Having Naruto's mom think you're perving on him is not a good thing! Wait. Why perve on him at all?!'_

'_You're losing a fighting battle there…' _came inner Sasuke.

"Fix up your shirt brat!" Tsunade scolded, tapping the toe of her shoe impatiently.

"Fine!" Naruto sulked.

Sasuke just about keeled over when Naruto ripped open the mismatching buttons and redid them.

"Happy?" He folded his arms and returned the glare that Tsunade was giving him.

"Very" Tsunade said through pursed lips.

"Well then have fun being happily late to work! We're off, bye!" Naruto grabbed Sasuke by his collar and in a cloud of smoke, both had vanished from the vicinity where Tsunade was frantically taking out her keys and running outside to her car.

* * *

_--Sometime later--_

'_He's looking at me funnily again' _Naruto thought as he and Sasuke walked along the path. He himself was taking care to avoid looking at the raven, for fear of being caught gazing at the flawless face, the perfect stature.

'_Everyone's staring at him' _Sasuke thought, flicking his eyes around him. _'Argh. Me included. Why does he have to wear clothes that look so, so – seductive?!' _It was strange. Seductive wasn't a word he'd use on any girl, yet it was the only remark that could describe Naruto at that moment.

They were walking through the local park and at this time of the day it was filled with runners and cyclists and many other people. It was a shortcut to the nearest mall, but Sasuke was now thinking the long way would have been much more preferable.

At least people wouldn't be ogling their eyes out at the pair of them.

'_It's too quiet' _Sasuke thought as a crowd of noisy people went past. In his mind there was only the foreboding silence of the person in step next to him.

"I thought you had something to say" Naruto said coldly as if reading his mind. "If I knew you were just going to show me the way to the mall then I would've stayed home."

Sasuke looked at the shorter boy and stopped walking at a bench. Naruto stopped too and looked up at Sasuke. He was only a few centimeters shorter, but that difference existed. The leaves from the great oak overshadowing them floated gently down around them.

Sasuke opened his mouth slightly but nothing came out and he quickly closed it, gulping. _'Dammit. Apologizing is so hard!'_

It was hushed again and Naruto began to grow impatient.

"Well?"

"…"

"If you're not gonna say anything then I'm going!" he snapped. _'Is it that hard to just say something?!' _he thought angrily. He turned around and was about to walk off when Sasuke's voice, soft and unsure, reached his ears.

"I'm…I'm sorry."

Naruto foot struck gravel and he turned back to the Uchiha, barely daring to believe his ears. Sasuke took in the stare and wide eyes on Naruto's face and felt his own burning up.

"I'm sorry about the other day" he muttered, looking away. "I shouldn't have said all that stuff…"

Naruto watched as Sasuke, the ice-prince, the ruthless leader of Akuma, shifted in nervousness and he felt an upward surge of affection. _'He's trying to be nice' _he realized. _'And I think he really means it.'_

Sasuke looked hesitantly for any clue as to how Naruto would answer.

The devil of Naruto's mind rubbed it's hands together wickedly. _'But I shouldn't let him off that easily…' _

Mischief was built into Naruto's personality.

"As in you should've kept quiet about it, or you regret saying it?" he asked sarcastically.

'_The__ interrogative side of him'_, Sasuke thought with a thrill. _'Why'd it have to surface now?'_

"I regret saying it."

'_I really do'_. If he'd known that he'd be flushing from embarrassment and apologizing in the middle of the local park he would have kept his mouth shut about the project even if someone had tried to beat it out of him.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, making himself look shrewd and disbelieving. Sasuke failed to notice the unnatural twinkle which flickered in his eyes as Naruto folded his arms across his chest and tilted his head to look at the sky, apparently deep in thought.

"But I thought that I wasn't your friend, neh?" he said emotionlessly. He smiled on the inside, enjoying the reactions he was drawing from Sasuke. _'Stop that charade…because I want to see the real you.'_

"You are. I haven't felt this close to anyone since Kiba and Shikamaru" Sasuke admitted and he shoved his hands in his pockets to stop any possible fidgeting.

"But you were right" Naruto continued. "We hadn't even known each other for 5 days."

'_He really takes me as a friend…' _

By now Sasuke had finally took note of the hidden amusement in Naruto's voice and the sincerely beaming eyes beneath his golden locks. Although somewhat appeased by this he wasn't going to completely drop his character.

He took a step towards Naruto, letting him know that he knew he was forgiven. He smiled strikingly, at ease once more. "But now, I've known you for a week" he said.

'_I'll make it forever.'_

* * *

_--With Lee, Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji, Chouji --_

"You think Sasuke will go through with it?" Kiba asked the others nervously.

Neji ignored him, too wound up in his own thoughts. He chewed vindictively on the straw of his coke as the others talked. Chouji was too busy digging into his lunch - a huge combination from three different fast food shops- and didn't even hear.

"Sasuke will do it" Shikamaru said confidently. "Kiba hit the mark yesterday. There's no way that Sasuke's letting Naruto pass."

Neji twitched, this sentence reforming itself into a much more dislikeable context in his mind.

"Here they come!"

They all turned around to the left where Sasuke and Naruto were making their way through the large crowd of shoppers. Neji's eyes plastered themselves to Naruto's clothes and body, and he gulped.

Kiba grinned widely and waved at Naruto, and Naruto waved back. He ran ahead of Sasuke towards them and from behind Sasuke gave them a half-jerk, which they took to mean success.

As Naruto reached them Kiba gave him a small whack on the head. "Where've you been buddy!"

"Oww! Hmm…ask Sasuke that" Naruto said slyly as he rubbed the spot Kiba had hit him.

Sasuke glared at him and Naruto laughed teasingly. He scooted a few centimeters away from the Uchiha and then beamed at them with large, childish eyes.

"Neh, neh, what do you guys want to do?" he said. "Let's go the arcade! Pleaseeeee!"

'_He's cheerful again' _Sasuke thought. _'It's as though nothing had happened.'_

Naruto clasped his hands together and twisted his body from side to side in a pleading manner. "Pleeeaseeee."

None of them could resist that face.

At the arcade entrance Naruto had immediately bolted off into the fray, leaving them behind to frantically search the heaving masses of people for a sign of blonde.

'_Idiot!' _Sasuke thought nervously as he searched. _'You don't know what kind of people you could run into in this arcade.' _

He finally found Naruto, leaning on a pole near the people on the DDR Machines watching a couple play their third round.

As Naruto caught sight of Sasuke he grabbed his arm and said excitedly "Come on Sasuke!" He pushed the stuttering raven onto one of the now empty platforms and hopped onto the other, grinning from ear to ear in anticipation as he inserted the money. "You can play right?" he asked innocently as the game started up.

"Not that I want to" Sasuke muttered. Undoubtfully, people began being drawn to their game, interested in the show. Bored, Sasuke set his side to heavy. He snorted as Naruto entered the game on light.

"What does the winner get?" Naruto said reticently.

'_There's no way I'll lose this' _Sasuke thought – he had spent way too much time hanging in the arcade to lose in his own terrain. The others had finally found them and Kiba cheered the both of them on, jumping up and down amongst all the other people in the crowd.

"The winner," Sasuke said decisively "will get to ask the loser one single question which the loser must answer." Sasuke felt exultant - he had every intention of using this to his advantage to find out more about Naruto.

Naruto gave him an interested look, indifferent to the demand but he accepted the terms. "I'll pick first" he grinned. Skillfully and by heart he flipped through the songs until he reached the one he was after.

'_Healing Vision Angelic Mix huh? He's going for a girl's song' _Sasuke thought dismissively.

But Naruto kept his hand on the button during selection, entering options. Sasuke gaped as Naruto moved to heavy, setting the speed for his own to x 3.

"Now we can start" he said, smirking.

The song started, and Sasuke set himself to the beat the arrows were showing. Naruto was completely still, waiting calmly for the arrows to appear. Sasuke looked curiously at Naruto…he seemed so confident. A 'boo' from Kiba made him flick back to the screen to see he'd missed the start.

"Pay attention Sasuke" Naruto said as he effortlessly hit all the right arrows. Naruto's hands were grabbing onto the bar behind him as his feet darted over the glowing red and blue arrows.

'_Bar raper (1)__' _Sasuke thought. He prided himself on not having to depend on any support to play.

The song coming from the machine was awfully fluid and tuneful – not the type of stuff that Sasuke liked and he found himself missing arrows in several places. By the end, it was pretty obvious that the first round had gone to Naruto, what with Sasuke's missed start and obvious dislike with the song.

The audience was taking in the competition with hungry eyes, eyes that were more concentrated on the bodies of the two teens rather than their dancing abilities.

"It's my turn to pick now" Sasuke said calmly. He selected Afronova and Naruto thought _'how typical'_.

Sasuke set his speed to x 3 so that they were now both on the exact same settings, and gave Naruto a furtive glance that already hinted at his triumph.

The song by Re-venge began blaring out and they started moving at the same time to the music, making identical movements on their respective platforms.

Sasuke won this one. Naruto had gotten over enthusiastic with the huge amount of repetitive stomping and had eventually missed the arrows altogether.

"One all" Sasuke said, smirking at Naruto.

Naruto stuck his tongue out and made to select the next song but Sasuke did not in any way want to stand for another slow, high pitched song. Both of them reached for the button at the same time and…they hit random.

'_Uh oh' _they thought simultaneously as the songs whirred before their eyes.

The song that appeared on the screen was…Max 300!

'_YES!' _Sasuke grinned to himself while Naruto stood still next to him, staring at the screen.

"Too much for you?" Sasuke asked mockingly.

Naruto looked down at the platform as the song started playing. "No," he said slowly, "It's just…the gods usually don't favour me this much." When he lifted his face, Sasuke saw with a rush of trepidation that Naruto's eyes were gleaming. Naruto lifted his hands off the bar and eased himself forwards so that he stood straight.

He closed his eyes.

'_What …?!'_

Sasuke hit the right arrow, almost missing the start again. And next to him, Naruto hit it with his eyes closed.

'_No way!'_

Naruto kept on playing blinded, the music was all that he needed. His hair swept into his face but he didn't care – this game was his.

The crowd was going insane, screaming out as they watched Sasuke and Naruto's combos go up simultaneously. And then…Naruto opened his eyes and began free-styling.

Sasuke watched in amazement as Naruto hit a single arrow in a right handstand, flipping forwards over his head to hit the next doubles perfectly with both feet as he landed. His body was perfectly adapted to dancing, Sasuke realized. Lithe, flexible, agile, hot –

'_Argh'_

The red 'miss' that appeared on the screen was the sentencing of his loss and he stopped playing, knowing it was no longer possible for him to catch up. He was about to step off the board when Naruto pulled him back by the hand.

"Don't stop!" he exclaimed.

And expertly, he pulled Sasuke past him and switched boards with him, forcing him to now play on his side. Naruto's eyes were on his, and Sasuke complied.

A few seconds later Naruto once again tugged slightly, directing Sasuke back to his own platform. The whole time neither missed a single arrow.

Beginning to catch on Sasuke began free-styling doubles without Naruto's guidance. It was no longer a competition. It had become enjoyable. Naruto laughed next to him and Sasuke was almost compelled to join in.

'_He…he's unbelievable' _he thought as he and Naruto performed another switch, their bodies brushing against each other as they did.

The end of the game came too soon. Sasuke looked regretfully at the rolling credits as they stepped off to the side for the next couple while the audience continued cheering. Naruto bounded up next to him, smiling smugly.

"I think I won?" he asked rhetorically.

Sasuke nodded curtly and Naruto's mouth split into a foxy grin.

"What do you want to know?"

Naruto put a finger to his lips, thinking. "You know what" he said. "I think I'll keep my question for another time." His eyes curved upwards happily.

"Well then! Off to find the others!" He began darting off to the arcade games section and Sasuke followed, sighing.

'_I lost__. He really is amazing.'_

Naruto frowned as he stood on his toes, trying to find the others. "Weird. I could swear I saw them come this way."

"Hmm?" Sasuke said.

"Hey is that them over there?" Naruto pointed to an area of the arcade which was cut-off from the rest by a large post.

"Should be. Let's go."

Naruto nodded and they weaved through everyone until they got to the other five.

Naruto joyfully pounced onto Lee's back and yelled into his ear "What are you up to over here?"

Lee didn't say anything and Naruto frowned. Neji gave Sasuke a terse nod and he thought he knew what this was about.

Sure enough, there was another man in that enclosure with them, trembling several feet away with the appearance of a trapped rabbit. His good mood evaporated instantly.

"He's from the _Sound_" Neji said callously. "They're one of the biggest dealers with Akatsuki."

"The _Sound_. I remember…" Sasuke said softly.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked in confusion, looking from one to the other.

The man suddenly tried to make a break for it, aiming for the gap between Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto gave a cry of surprise but Sasuke brought back his fist and punched the man squarely in the face, forcing him back to where he'd been before.

"Hey-!" Naruto began.

"Naruto" Sasuke said quietly. "Didn't you want to know what Akuma does?"

Naruto looked taken aback but nodded uncertainly.

"Akuma are overthrowing the Akatsuki. Everything we do, it all damages Akatsuki in some way. We want them gone" he said abruptly. He looked out of the corner of his eye at Naruto, fearful of what his reaction would be. '_What if he gets scared off?'_

"Akatsuki…?" The word rolled off Naruto's tongue as Naruto himself looked bewildered.

_'He doesn't know who Akatsuki are?!' _everyone thought in disbelief.

"Currently the most powerful gang in Konoha, as well as the whole district. You've got to know who they are?" said Couji.

"Akatsuki do the lot" Kiba said in disgust. "They steal, plunder, murder, everything. But they set up a business front as their cover in order to trade on the black market."

"Maybe Sasuke will tell you some other time" Shikamaru said. "Let's deal with this one first." He took his dagger out and Naruto began panicking.

"Wait, what are you going to do?"

Shikamaru ignored him and approached the man with the dagger balanced between his fingers. "Kimmimaro is it?"

The man nodded in terror and stuttered "Please, let me go."

In a flash, the knife was at his face, the point on the skin below his eye and Kimmimaro fell to his knees, begging.

"I thought you said you don't kill" Naruto said in a strained voice.

"We don't. If they die as a result of not being able to take the wounds, its not our fault" Neji said coldly.

"How can you say something like that?!" Naruto said angrily to him.

Neji didn't reply but watched as Shikamaru drew the dagger slowly across Kimmimaro's cheek. Kimmimaro pressed himself back against the wall, defenseless. He squeezed his eyes shut as the dagger kept on going, down to his cheekbone...

_It hurts..._

"Stop!"

Naruto pushed past the hands of the others and shoved Shikamaru away. Kimmimaro used that moment of confusion to escape, disappearing into the rest of the throng in the arcade.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru exclaimed.

"Why were you doing that to him?!" Naruto shouted. He pulled himself away from the others as they tried to approach him in the hopes of calming him.

"That man is a huge dealer with Akatsuki" Chouji said gently.

"So?!"

"Naruto, do you know what damage drugs can do to a person?" Sasuke sighed.

"Yes…" Naruto said suspiciously. "And?"

"The man you saw just then is responsible for supplying over half the drugs on the streets of Konoha to underage people."

Naruto recoiled and gaped at them with wide, blue eyes. "What...?"

"You would have heard about it." Sasuke said. "How many people die because of that stuff…."

"Why don't you just hand him over to the police?" Naruto asked weakly.

"This is an underworld…police don't meddle in our affairs. We don't mess with them, and they leave us alone. It's an unspoken exchange. And not to mention, the Konoha police force will never be able to handle all the gangs here."

"He looks like he's about to faint" Kiba pointed out.

Naruto really did look pale, shaking his head and not looking at anything in particular.

"You OK dobe?" Sasuke asked worriedly. '_Oh no…' _He really didn't want Naruto to turn away now.

Naruto shook his head. "I'm fine" he muttered. "But…I might not be able to accept all of this, just to let you know."

"We won't make you do anything if you don't want" Sasuke offered.

Naruto nodded distractedly. 'That'd be helpful."

"Let's go before the security checks us out" Kiba said, looking around.

They left the arcade silently, Naruto with a pained expression on his face.

"Just remember" Sasuke told him quietly. "What we're doing helps others eventually."

* * *

"Well. Thanks for showing me round" Naruto told Sasuke. He was smiling again.

"No problem dobe" Sasuke said. He stood outside the door of Naruto's house, having walked with him back to his house after they'd all had dinner – perverts on the streets were in plentiful supply at night.

'_This feels like a date'_ he thought inappropriately as Naruto took out his keys.

Naruto didn't help when he laughed and said "Shall I kiss ye prince good night?"

Thankfully, Sasuke's tinted cheeks couldn't be seen in the darkness.

"Not turning gay now are we Naruto?"

Naruto gulped and turned to look into Tsunade's glinting eyes, Tsunade having opened the door from the other side.

"It was a joke?"

"Mmhm."

"Oh, Sasuke" she said as she noticed him.

"Good evening Tsunade," he said. He wasn't sure why, but he felt an extremely powerful urge telling him to stay on the good side of this woman.

"Thank you very much for showing Naruto around," she said as Naruto glowered and stuck his bottom lip out. "He can be such a klutz and now that I know he isn't going to get run over the moment I'm gone, I can go on my business trip in peace."

"If you're really so scared of me getting run over, then you wouldn't go on business trips to begin with," he retorted smartly.

"I am giving you independence for a week," Tsunade snorted. "Most teenagers would be celebrating."

"You're so mean!" Naruto whined. "Leaving me alone at home…you know perfectly well I can't cook anything other than ramen! And I hate washing dishes!"

"You think I like it?!"

"Naruto could come stay with me at my place if he doesn't mind."

Naruto and Tsunade stopped with their mouths opened, about to continue their argument.

Sasuke couldn't believe what he'd just said but he kept on going. "If he wants, Naruto could spend the week over at my house. It's only me and my brother."

'_My DEVIL OF A BROTHER!'_

"Do you mean it Sasuke!" Naruto said in a high-pitched exclamation as he clasped his hands together.

Sasuke nodded.

"Are you sure?" Tsunade asked hesitantly. "Naruto can get quite annoying sometimes."

"Hey!"

"It's fine." Sasuke smiled. '_I hope.'_

"Well..." Tsunade said slowly, "I guess that it'd be better than him being alone. You're a very nice young boy."

Sasuke shook his head modestly and Naruto was almost jumping for joy.

"So, after school tomorrow? Sasuke asked him.

Naruto nodded enthusiastically.

'_What have I done?' _Sasuke thought.

* * *

Tsunade took the photo from her bedside table and ran her hands over the frame fondly.

It had been taken a couple of years ago - she and Naruto stood side by side, Naruto making the victory sign and her looking like she was about to knock him out. Naruto's hair was streaked through with red, but that grin still remained.

_'And now, it's finally starting to return,'_ she thought.

A cold wind blew in through her window and she went to close it. When she returned to the photo she couldn't keep the memories from coming. Tears began running down her face and she hugged the frame to her chest.

_'Sasuke...will you be the one to finally save Naruto?'_

* * *

_--After school, Monday—_

"Is that all you need?" Sasuke asked as he closed the oak doors behind them.

Naruto nodded, the duffel bag thrown over his shoulder. "If I need anything else I can just go home and get it. I've got the keys." He looked around the entrance hall and his eyes widened. "Wow Sasuke. Your house is amazing! Change that to mansion" he said as he discovered the living room and kitchen.

"I never really noticed" Sasuke said dryly. '_Maybe because I spend as much time out of it as I can...'_

"It's _huge_!" Naruto exclaimed. "I can't believe it's just you and your brother with this all to yourselves."

Sasuke followed Naruto as the blonde explored his manor and sighed. Right. His brother. He'd have to have a little talk with Naruto about that certain matter.

"Naruto. About my brother-"

"What about me, Sasuke?" A ringing voice came from above them, layered with disguised malice that Sasuke would recognise anywhere.

He whipped around, instantly on alert. Naruto looked around too, and their eyes went up to the top of the stairs where Itachi Uchiha, handsome and regal, stood next to the marble post at the top of the curving staircase.

Sasuke gave a little hiss which Naruto didn't notice. _'Why the fuck is he home?!' _

"It'd seem that I picked an interesting day to be sick at home..." Itachi said calmly as he came down the stairs. "Why didn't you tell me we'd be having visitors Sasuke?"

Sasuke grinded his teeth and Itachi chuckled slightly as he approached them.

'_Idiot__ brother…' _Itachi thought. He then turned to Naruto. He frowned slightly before his eyes widened in shock and his body tensed.

'_Him! Why is he here?__ HOW is he here?!' _he thought, eyes piercing into Naruto.

Naruto was smiling innocently at him, his head inclined slightly to the side.

'_But…he's different_' he thought hesitantly. _'The personality's different, and so is his appearance...' _

Sasuke looked suspiciously at his brother's reaction, but it was gone almost the second after it had appeared there. Itachi was back in his normal, egoistic stance.

"Itachi Uchiha" he said warily to Naruto, offering a hand. He would confirm his suspicions.

Naruto shook it enthusiastically, his face smiling immaturely. "Naruto Uzumaki! I'm a friend of Sasuke's, nice to meet you!"

Sasuke had grimaced slightly as Naruto shook Itachi's hand, thankful for the moment when Itachi dropped it.

Itachi's face was a mask – stoic and expressionless. But his heart was beating fast, and his hands were sweaty and clenched at his side.

_I am Naruto Uzumaki. And don't you forget it._

* * *

1. Bar Raper- Refers to someone in DDR who plays using the bar behind them. Also known as bar hugger.

Next chapter- Lots of flashbacks and memories.


	8. What Lies Behind Us

" "- talking

' '_- __thinking_

_Italics Only – Flashbacks/Memories/Dreams _

* * *

_**--Chapter Eight—**_

_**--What Lies Behind Us—**_

_FLASHBACK_

_Itachi wasn't happy with his predicament. Courtesies of his brother he was now in a town where he had no wishes to be, with no one but that idiotic brother to accompany him. Not that he was going to take that company…Sasuke could go off wherever he wanted and he couldn't care less._

_He lounged back in the seat he was in. Around him shoppers looked suspiciously at his gangster attire and cruel eyes but continued swiftly on their way when he glared at them._

_'Northside…this place is trash,' he thought. 'One whole week and the only good fuck I've gotten is some tourist who doesn't even live here.'_

_He growled in frustration to himself and slipped his right hand into the deep pocket of his pants. A soft moan caught in his throat as he began slowly rubbing himself. He didn't care that people around him were giving him weird looks…they could go screw themselves._

_'If I don't get some ass soon, I'm going to go insane,' he thought._

_A humongous CRASH suddenly resounded through the food court and Itachi pulled his hand out and sprang to his feet, his left hand at the knife he kept at his belt._

_The noise had come from the other end of the court. Itachi cautiously lowered his hand from his waist and edged closer to where a small group of people were gathered. He strangely detected that most people were hurrying away from the commotion, as though they didn't want to be caught in whatever was happening._

_A few teenagers ran past him in the opposite direction and Itachi caught a single word – "Jinchuuriki."_

_'THE Jinchuuriki?' he thought in exhilaration. 'This I've got to see…if they're really as good looking as the rumours say, I might finally have found my ass.' More eager than before, Itachi made it to the group in less than 5 steps. Voices came from the centre._

_"What do you think you're doing, shit?" a girl with creamy hair was saying to a man. The girl was stunningly beautiful but unfortunately, Itachi had no interest in her – he found girls annoying and whiny. The fallen table which had caused the crash lay upset before her. It seemed she was the one who had knocked it over._

_The man obviously didn't know how much of a mistake he was making as he stepped forwards closer to her. The girl – 18 at most- looked coldly up at him. Itachi smirked, seeing the outcome before it happened._

_As the man lifted a hand towards her face the girl moved backwards in one quick motion and with a gleam of fury in her eyes, swung her leg upwards in an almost vertical kick that met with the mans chin. With a sickening crack, the man hit the floor. The girl straightened and she smiled in malevolent pleasure at the unconscious man._

_A figure abruptly stepped out from the rest of the crowd, grinning at the girl as he came forwards. She swung around and Itachi saw with surprise that she instantly lost her foul mood and was smiling._

_"Naruto!" she exclaimed happily._

_The whole crowd let out breaths of amazement as the teenager stepped next to his comrade – the most perfect boy Itachi had ever seen…_

_His eyes widened as he saw Naruto's face, framed by blonde hair tinted red. As Naruto turned around, deep blue eyes captured him in their gaze before he smirked and turned back to the girl._

_"Yugito...that's the fifth time this week," he sighed to Yugito._

_She huffed prudishly and folded her arms. "Jerks…can't they pick on some other people?" She flipped her pretty head around and Naruto laughed, a wondrous sound that sent shivers up Itachi's spine._

_"Come on, let's go," Naruto said. "Everyone was waiting, but you were taking so long that we decided to look for you."_

_Yugito nodded and the two began walking towards Itachi's direction. As they passed him, Naruto's voice rustled softly in his ears. "I'd appreciate it if you stopped staring at me."_

_Itachi quivered at the breath on his shoulder and looked daringly into Naruto's face. "Ahh, but I just can't resist," he uttered delicately._

_Naruto and Yugito stopped walking and Naruto turned around to Itachi. "Assholes like you really piss me off," he said simply._

_"Then I shall make my best effort to stay on your good side. Although…I cannot guarantee keeping my eyes off you."_

_Naruto narrowed his eyes. 'Another idiotic pervert,' he thought as he surveyed the man before him. "I can't guarantee those eyes will still be there when you turn around."_

_Itachi grinned. The kid had spunk._

_Naruto noticed the grin and he growled._

_Before Itachi knew it a fist had connected with his stomach, doubling him over._

_A leg suddenly came out of nowhere and Itachi blocked it with his forearm, knocking it aside. He flipped over backwards and stood warily there watching the annoyed blonde._

_"You're a fellow gang member," Naruto stated calmly as he moved back. "Which?"_

_It was a demand for information, Itachi realised. With his hand on his abdomen he lied, "It's just a small group. You've probably never heard of it."_

_Naruto's eyes scrutinized him for a moment more before he seemed to lose interest and turned back around to continue walking away with Yugito._

_"Wait," Itachi called out. "Who are you?"_

_The two stopped and Yugito laughed. "You're not from around here are you?"_

_Naruto hushed her and regarded Itachi curiously. "State your own name before asking."_

_Fair enough. "Itachi Uchiha."_

_"Sou ka…Itachi Uchiha." The blonde grinned at Itachi and Itachi felt powerless before that gaze. "I don't feel much like telling you anything," Naruto pondered, "But since you gave me your name, you can have mine." His eyes glazed over, cool and commanding. "I am Naruto Uzumaki. And don't you forget it."_

_Itachi watched him walk away with the girl and a taunting smile pulled at the edges of his lips. "Oh…I wont forget it," he whispered malevolently._

_END FLASHBACK_

* * *

Whatever game Naruto was playing, Itachi decided he would play along. It was obvious Sasuke had no idea about anything, and Itachi preferred it be kept that way – his little brother had an annoying habit of interfering.

"Naruto Uzumaki desu ka?" Itachi said quietly.

Naruto eyes brightened happily and he exclaimed "You know Japanese?"

Itachi hesitated for a moment. _'How can he act like he doesn't even know me…?'_

Sasuke looked between them uneasily. They were getting along well. Way too well for his liking. _'Stupid aniki…he's acting all nice to Naruto.' _He couldn't help but feel somewhat jealous.

Itachi nodded. "But didn't Sasuke tell you? Our family has ancestors from Japan. Many of our traditions remain under that influence."

"Really! My father was born in Japan, so I learnt it from him when I was little," Naruto said.

"If you don't mind, aniki," Sasuke interrupted, "I want to show Naruto to his room."

"Not at all." But Itachi's eyes had a dangerous look to them.

Sasuke picked up Naruto's dropped duffel bag for him and ushered for the blonde to follow him up the marble steps. Naruto joyfully trailed after him. _'Both of them are so nice,' _he thought. He smiled at Sasuke's back in front of him and felt extremely lucky.

Upstairs the true size of the mansion was revealed. A long corridor stretched from the top of the stairs, from where several other corridors branched off. White doors lined the walls, complete with brass handles. The floor was carpeted a subtle shade of royal blue.

'_I could get lost in this place,' _Naruto thought dazedly.

Sasuke looked at him and caught the dumbfounded expression on his face. He let out a chuckle and Naruto stared at him. "I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, we only use some of the rooms. Most of them are locked the rest of the time."

Naruto nodded weakly, not completely convinced.

Sasuke began walking down the corridor and he hurried after, not wanting to get left behind.

"This," Sasuke pointed to a door on the left that looked like any other, "is the bathroom that you can use. You probably wouldn't want to use the one my brother uses…"

Naruto nodded again as they continued walking. Sasuke jerked a thumb to a room 4 doors down, again on the left. "This one's my room" he said.

He walked forwards another 2 doors and then turned to the one on the right. "And this is yours." He pushed the door open and Naruto's jaw dropped.

'_Oh. My. God. This is the size of my whole living room and kitchen together!' _

He walked hesitantly into the room while Sasuke watched in amusement from the door. Beneath his feet a furry white rug took up a large part of the room. To one side there was a king size bed and all around the walls there were paintings and mirrors. A set of elaborate drawers stood standing beneath one of these hanging mirrors.

"You can put your stuff in there," Sasuke said. "You're staying here for a week after all. You don't want all your stuff stinking. Taking daily showers is advisable as well," he informed.

"Hey!"

"Joke, dobe. If you need the washing machine, its downstairs."

"I'm not a dobe!" Naruto took his duffel bag from Sasuke and set it down onto the white sheets on the bed before walking back to Sasuke at the door. He smiled earnestly and Sasuke's heart fluttered. "Thanks Sasuke."

"Uh, it's no problem," Sasuke said hastily, turning away.

Naruto looked at him seriously. "No, Sasuke, it is. I really, really appreciate you letting me stay here with you."

'_Does he have to say it like that?' _Sasuke thought distractedly.

"It's fine," he said firmly.

Naruto's reply was to laugh quietly. A rumble went around the room and pink appeared on Naruto's cheeks while Sasuke looked questioningly at Naruto's stomach.

"Ahaha…so. What's for dinner?" Naruto asked embarrassedly.

'_So…cute…,' _Sasuke thought.

He snapped out of his less than sensible thoughts and quickly thought. "There's some restaurants close by," he said. "I normally go by taxi to one of them. If I drive myself it's too hard to find parking," he added.

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "So you normally don't eat at home?"

'_More like never,' _Sasuke thought.

"Yeah."

"Oh. Itachi-san!" Naruto suddenly said.

Sasuke turned slowly around and glared at his older brother standing in the corridor behind him. He'd been listening to them. Itachi pretended not to see the death stares Sasuke was giving him and addressed Naruto directly.

"I've ordered take-in for dinner," he said pleasantly. "For _all _of us," he added.

Sasuke couldn't feel more annoyed. Every nerve in his body was warning him that Itachi was scheming.

"Ahh, thank you, I'm starving!" Naruto said gratefully.

Itachi nodded off the thanks and said, "I'll leave you two to it." He walked off and Naruto was left with Sasuke again. Sasuke was shifting uncomfortably, obviously torn between certain things. He made his decision and said to Naruto, "I'll be right back."

He rushed out the room and Naruto stared after. Shaking his head to himself he unzipped his duffel bag on the bed and began piling out his stuff. '_This is going to be an interesting week,' _he thought.

At the stairs Sasuke had cornered Itachi. "What are you doing?" he hissed.

Itachi cocked his head and raised an eyebrow at his fuming sibling. "Whatever do you mean?" he asked innocently.

Sasuke's fist clenched but he refrained from using it. "It's just us two, so stop acting dumb," he said through gritted teeth. "I don't know what you mean by being suddenly all pleasant and stuff to Naruto but I warn you – don't try anything."

'_Interesting,' _Itachi thought.

"You seem to care about him an unusual amount Sasuke," he said slowly and maliciously. "It makes me want to know him even more…the person who could make my little brother turn into a worrying, doting fool."

"If you do anything –"

"What will you do Sasuke? You've threatened me ever since you opposed Akatsuki. And not one of those threats has ever happened."

Sasuke growled and Itachi laughed humourlessly. "Don't worry Sasuke…I won't bring anyone home for the time he's staying. Not much else to worry about is there? I'm sure you'll try to keep him out of my way anyway."

Sasuke snorted in disbelief. _'Itachi not bringing anyone home…yeah right.'_

The deep sound of the doorbell rang from below and Itachi began going down the stairs. "That'll be the take-in. Tell Naruto dinner will be ready in 10 minutes."

Sasuke watched his brother's retreating back with animosity.

* * *

Naruto's eyes were once again, widened to unnatural sizes in shock as he looked over the dinner table.

'_This…is take in?'_

As far as he knew, take-in didn't exist in the form of steaming dishes of fish and vegetables and…ramen!

"How did you know I like ramen?" he asked Itachi happily.

'_How DID he know?' _Sasuke thought.

The table they were sitting at was medium sized of rectangular shape. Itachi sat at one end while Naruto and Sasuke sat on opposite sides. Naruto looked nervously across the table at the ornaments adorning the surface, including candles and antique looking cups with oriental designs on them.

Itachi gave a little shrug and said, "A lucky guess."

"Ahh, k, you guessed right," Naruto said as he picked up chopsticks. He waved them in his hand and said "Ittadakimasu!"

He began eating and the other two took this as the prompt to start.

Itachi constantly darted looks at Naruto over his food. _'It doesn't feel right. There's definitely something different.'_

Sasuke didn't miss the attention Itachi was giving Naruto and he was starting to feel fearful for Naruto's sake. Itachi was a pervert and paedophile…Naruto would be vulnerable. _'Why didn't I think over this better?!' _he thought furiously to himself. There was no doubt in his mind that Itachi would at some point make a move on Naruto. The blonde was just too alluring…

Itachi was thinking along the same lines as Sasuke. _'He's still as tempting as before though,' _he thought as he ate. He felt a stirring down below and he grinned to himself. _'Now's as good a time as ever.'_

Naruto could feel the tension there was in the air. He looked nervously between the Uchiha brothers, one who was glaring at the older and the other who seemed to be looking at him every now and again.

"Umm…you guys normally don't talk during dinner?" he asked.

His question seemed to snap them back to reality and Sasuke answered "We rarely eat at home like this. I eat out most of the time."

"I've got work, so I eat before I get home," Itachi informed him.

"Work? What do you do?" Naruto asked interestedly.

"I'm in charge of the family business, Uchiha corp. We're a trading business."

Sasuke seethed at the mention of the family business. _'How dare he talk about it…he's the bastard who corrupted it and turned it into some illegal trading post.'_

Amazed, Naruto gave Itachi an impressed look. _'I was right before…their family is rich, they're at the head of an important business.' _

Itachi was smiling evilly to himself inside as he saw Naruto's face. A question suddenly escaped his mouth as he eyed Naruto.

"Are you a virgin?"

At his end of the table Sasuke spat out a mouthful of water and began choking violently. Hand at his heaving chest, he looked at Itachi with such menace that any other normal person would have gone running for the hills.

Naruto stared for a second before he laughed and said timidly, "Yeah. I haven't come across the right one yet."

_'He must be worried that I'm some no good punk,' _he thought to himself.

Such a naïve and innocent mind.

Itachi's eyes were burning with desire and even Sasuke was getting an unfamiliar feeling at the back of his mind.

Itachi finished his dinner and went behind the counter to place his dish in the sink. He walked around to the miniature bar and asked "Some sake Naruto?", lifting up a small bottle from several others.

Naruto inclined his head and smiled. "No, it's fine."

"No, no, I insist," Itachi said pressingly, and he opened the bottle.

He poured out the clear liquid into three little cups and passed one out to each Naruto and Sasuke, holding the last one up in toast.

He downed his own and Naruto hesitated for a moment before swallowing his politely. Sasuke looked suspiciously down at his cup and then at Itachi. _'Now I **know** he's planning something…'_

Naruto grinned as Sasuke drank. "That was nice stuff Itachi," he said respectfully. "Better than even some of Tsunade's collection."

"You call her by her name," Sasuke noted as he placed his empty cup on the table.

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah…well, she's my step-mum you see. I've called her that ever since I met her. Kind of hard to get out of the habit."

Sasuke was startled by this piece of information. _'He must have had a rough childhood…'_

Itachi nodded slowly over his entwined fingers. _'Soon…'_

Five minutes later he looked on in satisfaction as Naruto and Sasuke both gained a drowsy appearance. Their eyes were glazed and Itachi knew they were currently unable to comprehend anything around them. Not long after, Naruto slipped off his chair and Sasuke's head slumped onto the table.

Euphoric, Itachi stepped around the table to Naruto's unconscious form on the floor.

"My sweet, little kitsune," he crooned as he looked down. _'You're not getting away this time.'_

He knelt down and placed one hand beneath Naruto's knees and another on his back. Lifting up the boy bridal style he turned around and went up the stairs with his prize.

Naruto moved slightly in his arms and he smirked to himself. _'I don't care if you're kyuubi or not, or about what you think you're doing. It's imprudence to oppose me.' _

"Still immature like always," he said, shaking his head. "But that's one of the things that make you so attractive."

_START FLASHBACK_

_Itachi's dark hair ruffled slightly in the salty, sea wind as he bent forwards on the bench he was sitting in. "Haha, I see. If it's so much of a bother why don't you just leave the Jinchuuriki?" he asked the boy sitting next to him._

_Naruto sipped cutely from the straw in his can of coke and regarded Itachi with a bitter smile. "I **can't** leave. They're my friends…my only friends." He leant back and sighed deeply into the air, saying, "People like you have it easy…but even though being in a gang means getting into fights and trouble every now and again, I don't care as long as I'm with the people important to me."_

_Itachi cackled evilly in his mind at these words but his face remained straight and curious. "Well...wouldn't I be a friend?"_

_Naruto forced a grim smile and said, "Aren't you afraid of what I am?"_

_'If only you knew…,' Itachi thought slyly._

_He patted Naruto lightly on the head and said, "You are one of the nicest people I've met."_

_Naruto looked up with wide eyes. Apart from the other Jinchuuriki and precious few, no one would ever approach him like Itachi, or pat his head like that. 'It feels…brotherly,' he thought, finally finding the right words._

_He put on a grin and said, "Why is it you find me wherever I am huh? Since that time in the food court I've seen you in three different places." He gave a comical gasp and said mockingly, "Are you a stalker?!"_

_Itachi laughed. "Yes. Yes I am."_

_Naruto laughed as well and Itachi felt the dawning of conquest._

_END FLASHBACK_

In his room Itachi put Naruto down on top of the sheets and gazed hungrily down at him. He ran his fingers through the golden locks, eyes lingering on the sleeping face and half-opened mouth framed by tender lips.

'_So beautiful…and he'll be all mine.'_

He couldn't take it anymore. He climbed onto the bed on top of Naruto, straddling the blonde at the waist. Instantly his lower regions came to life as his skin made contact with velvet, tan flesh. He gently caressed Naruto's cheek, frowning slightly at the light scars but quickly passing them by.

With his hands on either side of Naruto's head he leant forwards, preparing to claim those lips for his own…

"ITACHI!"

A pain exploded in the side of his head and he was knocked sideways off of Naruto to the floor. Cursing, he rolled over and glared up at the only other person in the house. _'Little brat…'_

Sasuke stood protectively over Naruto with hatred blazing in his eyes which were still slightly unfocused from the effects of the drug. His clenched fist was lifted and he snarled. "Get out of here before I kill you." His eyes flickered to Naruto and he was thankful to see he was still unconscious and fully clothed.

Itachi got to his feet and caught sight of the syringe in Sasuke's other hand. He looked at Sasuke in surprise and said "You had an antidote?"

"I'd never trust anything you give me," Sasuke said vindictively.

A soft rustle and both of them looked at Naruto who'd turned on the sheets. Itachi yearned for the missed warmth, but staying would mean facing a murderous Sasuke. And not only that…the drug would wear off very soon.

"I'll leave then," he said. He began walking out the room, Sasuke eyeing his every movement apprehensively.

"And Sasuke," Itachi said over his shoulder, "you'll find that you should figure out your feelings for Naruto as soon as possible. I assure you that I won't be the only person vying for his affections."

He left and Sasuke stuttered at the empty doorway.

_'My- my feelings for Naruto?'_

He began burning at the implication in those words and sat down on the bed next to Naruto. _'Ridiculous...'_

He looked down on the serenely sleeping blonde he felt light-headed and at peace...and also a strange happiness just from knowing that the blonde was there and safe with him.

At first, Naruto was a friend...but then he'd become obsessed and denied it...

He'd denied his friendship for something more.

_'God, it's the most obvious thing in the world...'_

He groaned out loud as he put together all the confused feelings of the past week and put his head in his hands. He'd been lying to himself.

He'd fallen for Naruto Uzumaki…

He liked another guy. He was gay, and he'd found out from his stupid, gay, older brother…

'_But…perhaps it's not that bad.' _He turned slowly to stare at Naruto's face, which instantly calmed him. _'After all…I've never liked any girl. Maybe, just maybe…'_

He sprung to his senses when Naruto moved profoundly and he realized that they couldn't stay there. Questions would be asked, and Sasuke didn't want to have to explain.

He hoisted Naruto up onto one shoulder and began walking with him – whom to his surprise, wasn't all that heavy – down to his own room. _'There's no way I'm leaving him in a room alone.'_

He laid Naruto down and then pulled the sheets up to his neck. Naruto frowned very slightly and waved a hand upwards like a child, brushing Sasuke across the face. Sasuke touched a hand to that spot on his cheek for a moment before he went to the chair he had in his room and sat himself down, always looking at Naruto.

He had a lot to think about.

* * *

_--Naruto's Dream--_

"_What are you doing?!" _

_Naruto sprang back from Itachi as the latter also retreated with an unsatisfied look._

"_Nothing."_

_Naruto snarled. "Nothing?! You were trying to kiss me!"_

"_Naruto -" Itachi began saying but was cut off by a furious outburst from the blonde._

"_You're just like other people! A friend…pfft! I should've known. You just want my body. Well you're not getting it! Get lost!"_

_Desperately, Itachi tried approaching Naruto again. "I'm sorry Naruto –"_

_He barely moved back in time as a metallic shimmer went whistling past before his eyes. Livid, Naruto had drawn his dagger and held it with the point facing Itachi's chest._

"_I'll say it one more time," he hissed. "Get lost, and don't let me ever see you around here again."_

* * *

"Are you serious Sasuke?!" Kiba shouted. Shikamaru, Neji, Chouji and Lee all stuffed their fingers into their ears.

"Yes," Sasuke said through clenched teeth. "Do you have to yell?"

"Sorry," Kiba said hurriedly. "Are you serious? Itachi tried to pull one on _Naruto_?!"

"Why would I joke about this?"

"I dunno, maybe beca –"

"Well I'm serious!"

Shikamaru rubbed his forehead like he always did when he was annoyed. "Let me get this straight," he said to Sasuke. "You want us all to come over and stay at your place to help make sure Itachi doesn't try jumping Naruto again?"

Sasuke nodded.

"That's insane!" Kiba howled. "Sasuke, what if Itachi try's to jump us next!"

"That's why I need all of you over," Sasuke snapped. "Even Itachi can't manage that many people at once."

Kiba began muttering things about how Itachi was a super pervert when Neji spoke up. "I'll come."

Sasuke arched his eyebrows in surprise. He and Neji didn't get along particularly well at times, yet Neji seemed awfully keen.

"Just for the next 4 days right?" Neji asked coldly.

"Nn. Yeah."

"Well then, me and Chouji are in as well!" Lee exclaimed enthusiastically. "We will all help in the mission to protect Naruto!"

"Well…OK then," Kiba said in reply to Sasuke's glare.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, closing his eyes. His way of saying yes. One eye opened slightly and he said, "How do you plan on telling Naruto about this?"

The others looked at Sasuke in surprise. "Doesn't he know?"

Shikamaru explained in a bored voice, "If Naruto knew, he'd probably be staying at home, not at Sasuke's place. Why would he knowingly stay in a place where he'd be susceptible to a sex-driven psycho."

That was right, Sasuke thought. When Naruto had woken and asked why he was in his room Sasuke had said that he'd been drunk from the sake and refused to walk to his own room. Naruto had turned an impressive shade of red and apologised profusely before leaving. A part of Sasuke felt bad for lying, but another part was determined. He would protect Naruto and be with him at the same time.

A rush of confidence went through Sasuke. _'No one will hurt him.'_

* * *

"Tobi."

Tobi turned around from his laptop and choked on the noodle he was eating as he saw Itachi behind him.

"I-Itachi!" he stuttered.

"Calm down," Itachi said in amusement. "I need you to do something. I trust you can manage..."

Tobi nodded and laughed uncertainly as he scratched the back of his head. "You can count on me!"

Itachi nodded, eyes gleaming. "Very well...I need you to bring up Naruto Uzumaki's file."

* * *

Next Chapter – More flashbacks…and the introduction of a character I think many will be happy to see!

Next time!


	9. The Night the Moon Bled Crimson

" " – talking

' '_- thinking_

_Italics Only – Memories/Flashbacks/Dreams_

* * *

_**--Chapter Nine—**_

_**--The Night the Moon Bled Crimson—**_

_--Flashback--_

"_NO!"_

_Naruto screamed out as Yugito took a blow to the back. She gave a cry of pain and crumpled to the floor as one of the figures in black and red towered over._

_Drawing his own weapon Naruto dashed to her side and sent the man back while he helped Yugito up with his other hand. Behind them the others weren't fending too well either…it was 10 to 9, not on their side from the start. And they were injured too…bruises and cuts covered their bodies, exhaustion threatened to make them collapse where they stood. Those that weren't on the ground already._

"_Naruto!"_

_Naruto whipped around. Gaara waved him over, calm even in that moment of utmost peril. Naruto went over, the others covering for him as blades and flying knives came flashing towards him from the other cloaked figures._

"_What?!" he said._

_Managing to look annoyed, Gaara said snappishly "We are weakening. We have to get away from here or we'll die."_

_Naruto snarled and lifted his clenched hand before his face. "They'll never take us!"_

_One of the others, one of Naruto's other, dear friends lifted a handsome dark head, his eyes clouded in pain sourced to the blood leaking from his arm through his fingers. "Naruto" he said thickly through gasps, "this isn't the time to be rash. They are Akatsuki…if we don't play this right, Jinchuuriki is gone. We're gone."_

_When Naruto still hesitated__ he let out a groan. "Naruto! They are ruthless! We'll be tortured before they murder us."_

_A scream and Naruto turned to see in horror that Yugito had taken another blow and was lying dazedly on the cracked ground. Furious, he__ ran forward and swiped at her attacker back handed, forcing the man's hood back and revealing a long, bloody line on the face…Kakuzu…_

"_Brat!" Kakuzu yelled at him. "You'll pay for that!"_

_Naruto growled and kicked Kakuzu in the head as hard as he could. He went down cold and he said "Somehow, I don't think so."_

_He hurriedly checked Yugito, relieved to feel her pulse but frantic when he saw the numerous bleeding wounds. The sight finally won him over._

_He pulled Yugito onto his back and shouted to the others over the din of metallic clashing and cries. "Let's go!" The others turned, and one of them reached for his pocket as he nodded._

_An explosion rocked that little corner of Northside, smoke rolling out from the sidewalk onto the cracked streets so that 9 figures were obscured from view as they disappeared into the night._

_The Akatsuki emerged seconds later, coughing and cursing. _

_One of them raised his head and beneath the cloak, dark eyes gleamed so maliciously that the moon reflected in them was tinted a bleeding, blood-red crimson._

_--End Flashback—_

Itachi waited impatiently for Tobi to crack the encryption on Naruto's file. He had expected there to be such, but if Tobi really was as good as Deidera said then there would be no problem.

'_That fool, Jiraiya,' _he thought coldly.

"I'm in," Tobi said as he leant back in his chair in relief, wiping the sweat from his brow. He moved his chair back so that Itachi could access the screen.

Itachi scanned the first page. Basic information – name, age, parents – was all that he could see, and he had no interest in those. His eyes narrowed as he scrolled down the page and in the 'history' section, saw 'gang history' in blue italics.

Tobi was preoccupied with his noodles again and Itachi moved slightly so that his arm blocked the screen. He clicked on the 'history' section and found a page with a single paragraph –

_Naruto Uzumaki. Suspected member of __the street gang Jinchuuriki. Admitted to Northside Hospital previous September with serious injuries, one self-inflicted injury. Injuries confirmed to have occurred in same incident which resulted in deaths of other known Jinchuuriki members. Suffering from memory loss, reasons unknown. Suspected self-suppression of past memories. Propositions for long term psychological healing have been rejected by his legal guardian, step-mother Tsunade, with whom Uzumaki now resides with in Konoha.  
_

When Itachi withdrew from the screen he didn't know what he was feeling. A victorious feeling associated with seeing Naruto again was there, presenting him with the chance to pursue him once more and take revenge. But what was disturbing him was there was a part of his mind that was thinking non-stop about Naruto. An obsessive, destructive conscience…

He looked at the screen again. _Memory loss…_

Itachi grinned. This was good. Very good indeed.

He paused when behind him Tobi began talking thickly through his food. "Why does everyone seem so interested in this Naruto kid?" he said loudly to himself. "First Deidera, now Itachi."

"Deidera…?" he asked, turning slowly around to face Tobi. His eyes were gleaming.

Tobi gulped on his noodle and choked, instantly knowing that he'd said the wrong thing. "Deidera just ran off the other day to find him," he gabbled wildly. "It was after the meeting, he said "It's him" and then went."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, thoughts racing. _'It seems Deidera suspects something as well. I can't have that…'_

He got up off the chair he was sitting on after turning off the computer and headed for the door. As he left he said to Tobi without looking, "Don't tell anyone about this."

"Ye-yes."

* * *

Sasuke sat stock still on the couch in the living room in his mansion. Around him, Naruto and the others were going absolutely haywire. Bringing Kiba, Shikamaru, Neji, Lee and Chouji to his home might keep Naruto safe, but his house sure was going to be in strife.

And he'd also have to take into consideration the drawback that he was now going to be limited to a lot less private time with Naruto.

'_I want to know him better…I want to know everything there is to know about him,' _he thought obsessively.

Currently, Naruto and Kiba were sitting on the carpet in front of the TV locked in a furious videogame on the console that Kiba had brought over. It was quite violent and bloody, and as expected Naruto was losing – Kiba owned all at his stupid games.

Neji finally had enough after seeing Naruto's player get blown up for the umpteenth time. He strode to the console and flicked the switch without allowing the game data to save.

"Hey!"

Kiba glared at the Hyuuga and then chucked his control at him. Neji caught it and threw it back, hitting Kiba squarely on the forehead.

"No murder in the house," Sasuke said dangerously. His eyes said otherwise.

Naruto groaned and pulled himself with his hands, cross-legged across the carpet closer to Sasuke's feet. He looked up with puppy dog eyes and asked "What are we supposed to dooooo then?"

Sasuke twitched ever so slightly as he looked down at Naruto, fawning like a complete kid. An adorable kid to be sure.

Shikamaru suddenly smirked and they all stared at him. Yawning from his nap on the couch he straightened up and said lazily "Let's play a game."

He looked at Neji in a hinting way.

Naruto climbed to his feet and looked enquiringly at Shikamaru as Kiba groaned and Neji grinned. Lee looked slightly embarrassed and Chouji just ate away.

"Huh?"

He suddenly realized Neji was a _lot_ closer than he was before. Moving slightly away he was shocked when his arms were suddenly grabbed and he was pinned to the floor. Neji leaned victoriously over him.

"It's Neji's favourite game," Shikamaru said. "First one to freak out loses."

"Loses _what_?!" Naruto asked frantically from the ground, twisting his head to see Shikamaru.

Chouji sighed. "Gay chicken. You have to act gay until one of you folds."

"And since Neji is a natural, it means no one can beat him at it," Lee said helpfully.

Sasuke was staring furiously at where Naruto was still beneath Neji on the floor. _'I'll give him a run for his money,' _he thought angrily.

Naruto was flushed as he finally understood what he was supposed to be doing. "Umm…."

Neji leaned his face towards Naruto's, intending to kiss him. But before he could he shivered as he felt something warm on his neck. He turned slightly, and his stomach turned as he saw Sasuke standing behind him, a seductive look on his face…

Quick as lightening, Neji leapt away from both Naruto and Sasuke. Sasuke grinned and Neji realised what had happened.

'_That son of a bitch…I lost.' _He glared venomously at Sasuke, a glare which Sasuke returned tenfold.

As Sasuke looked down on the conquered Hyuuga, Naruto was gazing up at Sasuke with a strange expression on his face. Sasuke turned around and then…a flash of gold. A sweet, fruity scent…and warm, smooth lips.

Jaws dropped throughout the room as everyone stared at Naruto kissing Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes were wide as he looked at the shorter boy before him whose own eyes were closed. He could see every delicate eyelash, every beautiful feature on the angled face. Naruto opened his mouth slightly for air and Sasuke instantly entered with his tongue while his hand reached for Naruto's hair…

Naruto's eyes flew open and he pulled back away from Sasuke with a disappointed look on his face.

"Aww," he complained. "I was expecting you to lose that." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, cheeks red.

Nothing compared to Sasuke though. Sasuke was burning up so badly that he was beyond feverish. _'I just responded to a kiss. From a guy. And it felt so good…'_

Neji wasn't happy, glaring at the pair of them and feeling robbed.

Kiba wasn't too happy either. "No more!" he shouted at them. "I like _girls_ and I don't want you lot changing that!" Chouji and Lee nodded their support. As hot as the sight of Naruto and Sasuke kissing had been, they were _straight_.

Shikamaru got up off the sofa and began heading for the stairs. "I'm going to bed" he announced. "Before you people come up with another disconcerting idea." It seemed to have completely slipped his mind that he was the one who had started it.

Neji followed soon after, his impending storm of doom leaving with him.

After watching half an hour more of boring dramas on TV, the rest of them decided to call it a night as well. It was only 10:00, but they had nothing else to do.

Climbing up the stairs, everyone went off to the separate rooms that Sasuke had given them. Sasuke and Naruto were the only ones in their particular corridor and they were both silent, still feeling somewhat awkward from before.

Naruto laughed nervously and said "Did I scare you?"

Slightly affronted, Sasuke said "No" flatly. Heck, he wanted more!

Naruto turned away timidly at the tone of Sasuke's voice and Sasuke instantly melted. "It wasn't that bad" he said truthfully. "You've had experience?" he asked suddenly, fearing the answer.

Naruto chuckled. "Haha, nah, that was the fir –" He suddenly froze. A frown began to crease his brow and he shook his head slightly at the ground.

_'Why do I remember something else…?'_

"Hey. Dobe?" Sasuke shook Naruto's shoulders worriedly. Naruto jerked and looked up in surprise.

"Oh. Oops, sorry, spaced out" he said quickly. He walked to the door of his room and opened it. "Well, 'night Sasuke."

"Night" Sasuke said distractedly as Naruto disappeared through, unconvinced. _'What was he going to say?' _He held a finger to his lips, still tingling for the missed warmth.

Inside his room Naruto walked slowly over to the bed. His mind was suddenly in turmoil…there was something there, something that he knew…and yet- he just couldn't grasp it. It was locked from him at the back of his mind, as though he knew of it's existence only because it was something he could see through a glass window – an extremely foggy glass window…

A headache began burning behind his eyes and he screwed them shut, letting himself fall backwards onto the large bed without changing. _'Stop it Naruto. You're just thinking too much.'_

He sank back into the sheets, determined to forget his troubled thoughts.

* * *

At school the six of them were in good spirits. They'd had a long night's sleep – the beds in the Uchiha mansion were very comfy.

Sasuke was particularly happy - Itachi hadn't come home all night. Perhaps if they were lucky it'd keep on going like that for the rest of the week.

As they talked in homeroom a boy in their class suddenly burst through the sliding door and into the room, looking flustered.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked him casually as he caught his breath.

After a few more shuddering breaths the boy finally spoke. "They-they found Deidera-senpai in a classroom this morning…he's dead."

A hush fell over the classroom as everyone absorbed what they were hearing. Naruto gawked in horror as he remembered. _'He was the one in the locker room the other day.'_

Kakashi handled it better. He asked sharply "What happened?" His dark eyes were shrewd. He knew who Deidera was- an Akatsuki. There had to be more to this than met the eye.

Sasuke was thinking along the same lines. Deidera had always been annoying. It was possible that he'd made some enemies, but still…who would dare to hurt an Akatsuki…?

"He was murdered" whispered the messenger. "There was blood around him from what I overhead, and his throat was burnt through from acid."

Naruto flinched and Sasuke grimaced. _'Definitely a murder…someone really wanted him dead.'_

Another moment of foreboding silence, and then Kakashi sighed. "Sit down" he told the boy. He turned to the rest of the class and said "carry on" as he returned to reading his own Icha Icha book.

"What-" Naruto said in outrage to Sasuke as the rest of the class continued talking as before. "Why are we acting as if nothing happened?"

"What do you expect us to do?" Sasuke said quietly. "We can't do anything. We're most likely not supposed to know about this at all. Kakashi is doing his best to make sure things carry on as normal."

"Normal?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Here's another thing for you to learn about Konoha," Shikamaru said as he sat down.

Lee continued talking for him as he and Chouji also sat next to them. "Almost all the teachers of Konoha High used to be like us – they were in gangs," he explained. "So none of this is actually new to them. Kakashi used to be very well known. He was rivals with Gai you know! They had fights hundreds of times!"

Naruto renewed his belief of Kakashi being a perverted teacher to being a perverted, _weird _teacher.

"What's going to happen now then?" he asked quietly.

Sasuke rested his head on one hand, looking out the window at the sky. "They'll have a quiet funeral for him…but more likely than not, the culprit will never be caught."

He moved restlessly. "The police won't get involved. They don't have that kind of power in Konoha," he said. He forced himself to keep a straight face, not wanting Naruto to get worried.

Naruto bit his lip and turned away from the seemingly emotionless Uchiha. _'I can't stand this for much longer,' _he thought sadly. _'This cold indifference…'_

* * *

_--The Past—_

_They reached the large, black gates of Northside High and pushed them open, running in and chaining them shut before continuing. The 9 of them ran -or were carried- up the familiar steps of the school building which in the day was a hassle, but which now was a sanctuary…_

_In a deserted, window-less room on the second floor they locked the door and pushed a table in front of it before tending to their wounds. Naruto gritted his teeth in anger as he looked at the damage done. He himself only had minor bruising and cuts, but some of the others were in a much worse condition – deep slashes made by daggers, and ragged breathing, the result of a certain poisons master._

"_He looks bad," someone said as he leant over an unconscious figure. "Oh shit, he needs medical attention!"_

_He looked to Yugito, their medic, but she was of course in no condition to tend to anyone. He squeezed his eyes together in frustration and his voice was angry. "Why us?! We didn't even do anything to them!"_

_Another, sitting at a desk with his head in his hands muttered "We're going to die without even knowing why…"_

_Naruto clenched his hands and strode briskly to them. "This isn't over!" he shouted. He couldn't bear to see this happening. 'They're losing hope' he thought desperately. 'This can't be happening.'_

_The brown haired boy of his own age sprung to his feet and hissed "Stop acting, even at this moment!" Naruto took a step back, stung and confused. _

_The boy continued. "You're always happy. You've got a step-mother that loves you as good as any mother and you live in a well-off family. Yet you still put up the façade that you are one of us. What do you know? WHAT WOULD YOU UNDERSTAND?! We're not like you. We can't go smiling to our deaths, because we're not satisfied with the lives we've had." This boy lived by himself, ever since his parents had been murdered for reasons unknown. _

_Naruto lowered his head, a bitter sadness biting at him internally. "What would I know…?" he whispered. He knew that the boy was just venting his feelings out, but the words stung nonetheless. Memories of days alone on the streets, loved by no one, known by no one, of the horrible whispers that seemed to follow him wherever he went until he finally established himself as 'Kyuubi' flooded his mind._

_He laughed hollowly and the brown haired boy flinched, even retreating in shock when he saw the pain in Naruto's eyes. It was a pain that he understood, having been through a rough childhood too. But for Naruto, there was another stir behind those faded eyes…The boy wished at that moment more than anything else that he could take back those cruel and false words._

_The distant look in Naruto's eyes was gone when a humongous crash resounded against the door. All of them looked up and hands flew to their weapons. The door would not hold, they could see that. Another crash and only the table before it was keeping it on it's hinges._

_The brunette boy stood next to Naruto. "I know you do know. I'm a fool," he said to him. "But after tonight it won't matter anymore." He turned to face Naruto and smiled grimly. "This is the night that the Jinchuuriki fight their last. But no matter what, you'll always be one of my precious friends."_

_And as the door blew off its hinges and Akatsuki rushed in through the door, he was the first to make a break for them. With his knife he slashed at an Akatsuki's stomach, leaving the knife embedded there. He kicked viciously, managing to fell another. __Naruto watched in despair and shock as his friend was surrounded, weakening even as the other Jinchuuriki rushed to his aid. _

_Naruto fell to his knees as he watched the blade cut into his friend's throat. There was a horrible gurgling of blood and air leaving his lungs before he fell to the ground. Enraged and stricken, the other Jinchuuriki threw all caution aside and entered the fray._

_Naruto looked at the empty eyes of his friend. Whether by chance or he'd been looking at him in the seconds before his death, the brown eyes were gazing directly at him. Naruto's throat caught and he looked in at the ones responsible as his rage was released…_

_No one saw his movements. He was too quick for them, a golden blur being the only visible thing to signify his location. He managed to kill a figure in black – one of the Akatsuki's subordinates- and created a long, diagonal slash down the back of another figure in red and black before they came to their senses._

_The fight continued and none of them knew that there was a single Akatsuki who was missing._

_The two sides were fairly level in fighting ability but the Jinchuuriki had been weakened beforehand. They were quickly falling back to the other side of the room against the wall and only Naruto, Gaara, Yugito and 2 others were left from their ring._

_Yugito was crying freely and Naruto was sobbing as the grief attacked him over and over again. Unknown to him the others had been talking quietly. As their backs touched the wall an explosive was dropped._

_Naruto felt a hand grab his wrist and he panicked for a second before he realized it was Gaara. Gaara hushed him with a hand and pulled him over to the door through the smoke._

"_What are we doing?!"_

"_Shut up!"_

"_Wait –"_

"_KYAAAA!" The bloodcurdling scream was from the room behind them._

"_Yugito!" Naruto screamed. _

_With a curse, Gaara heaved on Naruto's arm and pulled the both of them away._

"_Gaara, stop!"_

_He began pulling on the grip, trying to go back the way they'd come. A pain exploded in his cheek and he held it in shock as he looked at Gaara, whose fist was held up having punched him. Gaara had wet trails leading down his cheeks._

"_Can't you let other people help you?!" he screamed. "Can't you let other people do something for you for once?!" __Naruto had saved him as a child. If it wasn't for Naruto helping him, he would have starved or been beaten to death long ago or worse…rotted away into a hell of solitude…_

_Naruto didn't say anything – he didn't know what to say. His world was falling apart...and he was just supposed to let it?_

"_Naruto" Gaara pleaded. Pleaded…Naruto shook his head in disbelief._

"_You've given us everything including a chance to know what a happy life can mean," Gaara said. "We owe you. Even if it kills us we'll protect you because for all of us, you were our first friend."_

_Naruto was facing the floor. The hand that Gaara gripped was limp but he didn't notice. He only had one goal right now…get Naruto out of there…_

"_Sorry Naruto."_

_He hit Naruto hard on the back of the neck. _

_--End Past—_

* * *

Pein looked around the corner cautiously, clutching Konan's hand in one of his. Konan was terrified and was also looking around the darkness alertly.

"It's clear," Pein told her. She nodded and they ran out down the smoky street, entering the next alley on the left.

"Will we be able to get away?" Konan whispered.

A shadow fell on the ground next to them and a vaguely familiar voice reached their ears.

"_Who are you trying to get away from?"_

Neither of them had the chance to defend themselves. The figure had appeared already fully armed behind them from the wreckage in the alley. In less than five minutes, two bodies were dead on the floor in puddles of blood.

Their attacker threw his weapon uncaringly to the floor, dusting his hands as though he did this everyday. Red hair almost like blood fell into haunted eyes framed by black – the sign of one whose nights were stalked by nightmares. He stepped out of the alley into the flickering light of the lamppost, and began walking slowly in the direction of Konoha High.

* * *

Review!

For your interest, gay chicken is a real game.

Next Chapter- Another new student arrives in school, bringing with him unwanted memories, chaos, and the jealously of a certain Uchiha.


	10. Forgotten

" " – talking

' ' – _thinking_

_Italics Only – Memories/Flashbacks/Dreams_

* * *

_**--Chapter Ten—**_

_**--Forgotten—**_

"Ack!"

With a shriek Sakura fell onto the ground and the person she ran into was knocked backwards. Behind her, Ino and Tenten hurried to help her up while the other people in the corridor detoured around them. Sakura brushed herself off then looked venomously at the person who'd knocked her over – _him_.

"I'm sorry!" Naruto apologized profusely as he pulled back the hand that Sakura had rejected. "I'm late! I slept in and Sasuke-teme didn't wake me up!" he exclaimed. He then muttered something under his breath about hurting a certain someone before babbling on.

Sakura grinded her teeth as she glared at him. "Shut up!" she shouted. He did, and she twirled a lock of her pink hair in annoyance while Naruto just stood there. She looked at his worried face in something close to disgust. _'Fag…'_ she thought. He was prettier than her, she knew that. She just couldn't stand him…who did he think he was to get along so well with _her _Sasuke? She'd seen his movements…trying to act all innocent and adorable. He was a _guy_ for god's sakes, couldn't he be like one?

"Grrr. Just go away!" she screeched, throwing her hands up in the air.

Naruto nodded uncertainly, still worried, before seeming to remember he was late and rushing off down the hall. Sakura gave a growl of frustration and pulled at her hair while Ino came up next to her with a confused expression.

"Sakura…" she said slowly. "Did he just say that Sasuke didn't wake him up…?"

Pause.

"NARUTO UZUMAKI!"

* * *

Naruto ran into someone for the second time that morning as he came to a skidding halt outside of his homeroom. Fortunately this time he didn't knock over the person.

"I'm sorry!" he said again as he straightened up. He looked up into the face of the person he'd run into through stray hair that had blown into his face upon collision.

"Eh…do I know you?"

The person standing in front of him was tall – Naruto only reached his nose - and handsome with red hair. His pale, green eyes were locked on Naruto's like a hawk. I was creeping him out, and a single word came unbidden to his head.

'_Gaara…?...'_

"Argh! I'm late!" he exclaimed in panic.

"Calm down dobe, the bell hasn't even gone yet," said a smug and familiar voice from behind.

"Teme!" Naruto turned and grabbed Sasuke, putting him in a headlock. "Why didn't you wake me?!"

Sasuke easily loosened the grip around his neck and slid Naruto off his back. "Don't you set your alarm clock every morning?" he asked innocently. The innocence didn't reach his eyes, which were sparkling waywardly. Naruto began ranting and Sasuke shook his head before he noticed the other person with them.

He instantly didn't like him.

Perhaps it was the way that the red-head's eyes were never leaving Naruto's face, or how everything about him was screaming suspicion. Naruto had also noticed how concentrated the attention was on him and he asked the person tensely if there was anything on him.

Sasuke was glad to see that Naruto's attitude was different to this person – more guarded and cold. The red head finally shook his head slightly and he brushed past the both of them into the classroom.

Sasuke watched him cautiously as he moved past. "Hey…Sasuke, isn't that our classroom?" Naruto asked him slowly.

"Obviously."

He grinned excitedly. "We have a new person in our class!"

Sasuke snapped his head to the side to look inside the room. Indeed, the redhead had sat himself down in their classroom. Even worse, he'd sat himself in the seat directly behind Naruto and himself. _'That's right Sasuke. He walked into your classroom. Of course he's in your class.' _He had a very bad feeling…

"He doesn't seem very friendly though," Naruto continued. "He didn't answer my question…"

_BRIIIIIING_

Sasuke watched in good humor as Naruto instantly perked up and began exclaiming about how they were late. Ignoring the raving he followed the hectic blonde through the door and to their seats. The new boy was glaring at them and Sasuke glared right back as he sat down. Much to everyone's surprise, Kakashi appeared mere seconds after the bell went. He looked quickly around the room, and his gaze lingered on the seat behind Sasuke and Naruto.

He sat down behind his desk and pulled the roll towards him. "Everyone," he said tiredly. "I'd like you to welcome another new student to our class. His name is Gaara." He lifted a hand to said boy who looked away from everyone and out the window. '_Hes got worse attitude problems than Sasuke,' _Naruto thought.

"What about last name?" one kid asked Kakashi.

Kakashi hesitated.

They waited for the pervert teacher to say something, but he seemed to be in careful consideration and looking at Gaara, almost as though for permission…

Gaara finally spoke and discarded Sasuke's earlier belief that he couldn't. Beside him Naruto winced slightly at the voice – it was harsh and monotone. There was no emotion whatsoever. "My name is Gaara only," Gaara said. "I will not take the name of a family that doesn't see me fit to carry it." To Sasuke's resentment Gaara then looked directly at Naruto. Their eyes locked and Sasuke felt his dislike for the new kid grow deeper.

"Could you stop staring at me," Naruto said coldly after awhile. Gaara's eyes narrowed but he didn't look away.

Sasuke got up and went over to Gaara, standing between him and Naruto and blocking their staring. He lowered his face to Gaara's. "Did you not hear him?" he said dangerously. A cold aura was surrounding the Uchiha, and Gaara's green eyes narrowed at him.

A flash.

Sasuke moved instinctively and blocked the arm on his right. He whipped his own fist up in retaliation and began bringing it down.

His found his arm was held in an iron grip, and he flicked his eyes to the side of the table where their grey haired teacher had intercepted them. Kakashi looked warningly at him before releasing his arm. In his left grip he still held Gaara's other hand.

Sasuke hissed lightly as he saw the pocket knife in the restrained hand. _'Such murderous intent, and in school. Is he insane?'_

Naruto said quietly to Sasuke "Don't worry about it." He turned and sure enough, Gaara was looking at him again. _'What is his problem?'_

_--Recess-In Quad--_

"He's been staring at me all day!" Naruto exclaimed furiously. He'd cracked finally after two consecutive periods of Gaara eyeing him non-stop. He sat cross-legged and seething on top of the wooden table in the middle of everyone else.

"Well aren't you used to that? It happens often enough doesn't it?" Shikamaru asked slyly. Sasuke could've sworn a very small wink was sent in his direction from him at this point. The event of gay chicken from a few nights previous came back full blast together with who had suggested it in the first place, and Sasuke decided that he'd have to hold Shikamaru in higher esteem from now on.

"It's different" Naruto said without notice. "He just won't stop, and he's not being very subtle about it either. And also…" he faltered for a moment at this point. His next sentence lingered lightly on his tongue as though he didn't want to speak it out and confirm it to himself. "…I have the feeling I've seen him somewhere before."

Sasuke jerked up instantly. "Did he go to your old school?" he demanded sharply.

"No", Naruto said uncertainly. He wriggled a little beneath their skeptical looks and stuttered "I…I don't think so."

'_I don't know.'_

"You don't _think _so?" Chouji repeated doubtfully.

'_Why don't I know?'_

Naruto bent his head to the side and said quietly to himself, "Come to think of it…I can't remember anyone." Try as he might to concentrate, the moment he thought of Gaara the red head would enter his mind accompanied with a flash of dull pain to his head.

To everyone's alarm Naruto suddenly swayed and had to put his hands on the table in front of him to hold himself up. Quickly they grabbed his arms to support him, helping him off the table to stand on the ground.

"What was that?" Sasuke asked. He almost put a hand to Naruto's forehead but pulled himself back just in time.

Naruto mumbled. "I just feel a major headache coming on." His temple was throbbing so much now that it felt like his whole head was pulsing.

"Do you need the sick bay?" Lee questioned. Naruto nodded, just as the bell went for third period.

Sasuke grabbed both their bags and said to the others, "You guys go first. I'll take him to sick bay." He tightened his hold on Naruto's arm and steered him up the steps past other whispering students.

"Hey Sasuke, it's fine, I can go myself" Naruto said. He tried smiling but it came out strained from the pain behind his eyes.

"Shut up, I'm taking you there," Sasuke said as he continued dragging him along. Naruto looked at Sasuke, at how worried he seemed to be. He felt a feeling that was completely unfamiliar, but it was forgotten with another stab of pain.

They turned a corner and ahead of them saw someone leaning back on the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He lifted his head towards them as they approached.

'_Gaara…'_

Naruto winced as the name came to mind. Sasuke noticed and he stopped walking.

"What's wrong? Hey, dobe?" Sasuke carried more of Naruto's weight as Naruto's knees buckled beneath him. Naruto gasped and held a hand to the side of his head.

'…_Can't you let other people help you for once?!...'_

'…"_KYAAAA!"…'_

A high pitched scream came from outside. More screams came, followed by the sound of running. '_Shit. What__ the hell is happening out there now?!' _Sasuke thought in frustration. Still supporting Naruto, he moved over to the window and peered through the glass. At first he couldn't see anything other than running people, but then he realized that they were running away from the gates. He squinted at them in incredulity, before his eyes widened and he cursed.

The gates were chained, just like that time Naruto had done it. But this time, it wasn't with a single chain but several, thick coils and a padlock. They would not be opened easily - and the culprit had made sure that attempts would be made to open them, for after all…they were the only possible way out now.

The fencing and boundaries of the school spreading from the gate were all burning. The school was enclosed. Bright tongues of red, orange and white flame licked up the iron poles and gates, gaining velocity the longer they burned. '_Petrol,'_ Sasuke thought swiftly. He knew that Naruto couldn't be responsible this time.

Naruto had also pulled himself up to look through the window and his eyes widened as a flash of white consumed him.

"_Shit. Shit, shit."_

_Naruto opened his eyes weakly. That was Gaara's voice…_

"_What are you swearing about?" he asked quietly. He struggled to get up off the ground where he'd been dropped by Gaara after being knocked out, falling back down a few times in the process. He could feel cuts reopening and muscles protesting with every movement._

_Gaara didn't answer him and he tottered over to the windowsill. They were still on the second floor and with a pang he remembered what had happened. _"_What…?" he mumbled. He couldn't manage to say anything else._

"_We're trapped" Gaara said. His hand slipped off the sill and he slid down the wall to the floor._

_Naruto hefted himself to look weakly outside. _

_The gates were chained. Huge flames were burning in the distance up to 10m high into the dark night sky and bright, glowing cinders were falling everywhere, floating all over the school grounds so that the whole world seemed to be burning down to the ground…_

"Agh!"

Naruto screamed and his hands flew to his head to try and block out all the images that were adding to the pain. He didn't realize that he was on the floor, and that there was a pair of knees next to his head and a frantic voice calling out his name over and over…

"Naruto? Naruto! Naruto!"

'…_Sasuke said my name…'_ He thought faintly.

He fell into unconsciousness.

Sasuke looked at the body before him and had no idea what to do. What did you do when someone fainted?! Every health lesson that he'd ever taken disappeared from his mind and all he could do was kneel there helplessly.

"Well…_something_ seems to have finally come to mind."

"What are you talking about?!"

Sasuke snarled at the approaching redhead that had spoken. He made the mistake of turning his head away to look at Naruto again, and the world turned black in a burst of pain.

* * *

'_What's __happening?'_

_Naruto looked helplessly around the darkness. 'What's happening to me?'__ he yelled out. __He began running through the pitch, black world and sobbed, a feeling of despair falling down on him. _

_Light…there was light ahead! He eagerly ran towards it. _

_But…he didn't want it__. He remembered now…the light was bad. He slowed down but now that light was approaching him instead._

_He didn't want it! He turned, now trying to get away. He'd much rather live a life without it… shrouded in darkness…_

_Than to have to go through that pain again._

'_Let me forget.'_

"Get up."

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he pulled himself up quickly. He looked around wildly and almost fainted again when he saw where he was. He pushed himself back away from the person standing before him, his hands striking on hot tiles. High wind whistled in his ears and blew all around them, leaves were flying past incessantly.

They were on a roof, dangerously high above the ground. But there was something missing. Or rather…someone.

'_Sasuke.'_

"Where's Sasuke?" he said frantically. He directed his question at the one other person who was standing over him.

Gaara.

He tried getting up but fell right back down amidst intense waves of nausea. He looked up as Gaara sneered and began walking towards him. "_Sasuke,"_ he repeated in disgust.

"What did you do?!" Naruto yelled.

Gaara dropped on one knee next to him and grabbed him by the collar. He pulled him closer and whispered "Do you know what the fuck _you _are doing?"

Naruto shoved the hands off him angrily. "What do you want?"

Gaara sighed and stood back up. He began walking slowly around Naruto, deep in thought. "Naruto Uzumaki," he said. "Ex Northside High student…you live with your step-mother Tsunade…you were an _orphan_ whose parents were killed in a struggle with the underworlds..."

Naruto's eyes widened. "How do you know that?!"

'_Only Tsunade and Jiraiya should know that…' _he thought in confusion.

_"And,"_ Gaara ignored him. "…The Kyuubi of the Jinchuuriki."

Naruto stared at him, and then scoffed. "You too huh? Well, you've got the wrong person. I'm no kyuubi in anything."

"You _aren't,_" Gaara hissed suddenly. "You don't deserve to be." Naruto didn't know what to make of this so he didn't say anything.

Gaara was still circling him. He stopped directly behind him and roughly turned him around. He locked his eyes on Naruto's and Naruto flinched. "I could forgive you for anything," Gaara said in a softer voice. "You could lie or hurt me…but you can't give up what the others sacrificed their lives for. What we _all_ sacrificed for…"

Naruto moved uncomfortably away but Gaara grabbed his wrist. "He is Itachi Uchiha's brother! You can't do this!"

Naruto was perplexed. _'What does this have to do with Itachi?' _The hand tightened its grip and Naruto gave a yelp of pain and tried to pry it off. "Itachi Uchiha caused all this, I won't let you get anymore involved with them!" Gaara screamed.

"_He _caused all of this?!" Naruto shouted suddenly back. Gaara recoiled in shock.

"Who is the one who _kidnaps _me and drags me to some roof?!" Naruto said angrily. He had stopped trying to pry the grip from his wrist and faced Gaara directly with a furious glare, his blue eyes flashing. "Are you trying to tell me that Itachi did this?!"

Gaara got back up and shook his head sadly in despair. "You can't forget…you _can't_."

"Forget what?" Naruto asked, more quietly. _'No…no, no…'_

Gaara was mumbling. "You're all I have left…you can't leave me too. No…you can't." He snapped his head up suddenly, eyes wide. Almost madly…

Naruto recoiled and tried moving further away. _'He's insane…' _he thought fearfully. Gaara lunged forward, pulled Naruto up and pushed him around to the edge of the roof. Naruto shouted and protested against the hands as their feet moved gradually closer to the reeves. "Stop!"

"Look down!" Gaara ordered. He stopped them half a meter away from plunging to their deaths.

Naruto shook the hands off his shoulders and threw an irate look at Gaara before complying. He looked down and saw empty grounds and courtyards, several more buildings amongst waving trees. A school.

"A school…" he voiced out as he turned to Gaara. "But why did you bring me here?"

"Do you not even remember your old school…?" Gaara asked him sadly.

'_My old school?' _He twisted and looked down again. Gaara was right…this was Northside High. _His_ Northside High, where he'd spent several years of his life. And yet he couldn't remember it.

'_And also where I – wait! No…'_

He turned to Gaara. "You used to come here too, didn't you?" he asked quietly. Gaara seemed to slump slightly. He opened his mouth wordlessly a few times. Then he nodded his head desolately.

Naruto suddenly laughed, but it was mocking and sad. "I get it now…you must be one of those people I forgot after I had that accident 5 months ago." A bucket of cold ice felt as if it had been emptied into his veins.'_Yes. That's right. It was an accident…I was in an accident.'_

He looked apologetically at Gaara. "I'm sorry about that."

"Naruto..." Gaara's expression was unreadable, but the pain was evident in his eyes. He sighed, and then grabbed Naruto by the arm and pulled him to the staircase. "Let's go."

"Huh?"

Naruto followed him down the stairs when he remembered an earlier nagging thought and asked again, "Where's Sasuke?"

"The Uchiha should still be at Konoha," Gaara said vaguely. He was still deep in his own thoughts. The word 'Konoha' lit a spark and Naruto was reminded of the state the school had been in when he last saw it. "Did _you_ light the gates?" he asked apprehensively.

"I did," Gaara said as they walked down the steps.

Naruto wasn't expecting such a straight out answer. "Why?", he asked. They were in the teacher's parking and Gaara led Naruto into the passenger seat of a red car while he sat himself in the driver's seat. He sighed and said, "I wanted you to remember something. Something in the past."

Taken aback, Naruto asked him "Were we close?"

They drove out the school, heading down an unfamiliar highway to Konoha. Gaara answered, "Yes."

Naruto grimaced. "I'm sorry…so that's why you were so winded up."

'_How could I forget him?'_

"Think nothing of it Naruto." Gaara then pulled himself to an obviously strained chuckle and said "I don't want you stressing that small brain of yours."

"What!? Now wait just a moment –"

'_Just be happy.'_

* * *

Gaara dropped Naruto off at Konoha Highs gates just as the sun began to set on the horizon. Naruto stepped out the car onto the pavement and saw that the fire had been put out, and the school miraculously cleaned so that not even a single scorch mark remained.

'_The cleaners here take their jobs seriously,' _he thought in wonder. Behind him, Gaara prepared to leave.

The chains on the gates had been sawn through and everybody had left. Except for one, raven haired figure sitting at the base of a statue.

He stormed towards them and pulled Naruto behind him protectively before rounding on Gaara. "What are you playing at?" he snarled. From behind Sasuke, Naruto could see the bandages beneath his dark hair. He put together one and one and realized what must have happened.

"Did you do this to Sasuke?" he demanded.

Gaara's jaw worked back and forth as though words were forming there, but he was having difficulties articulating them. He finally muttered "sorry", before driving off.

"Wait-" Naruto was pulled back by Sasuke before he could say anything else.

"Naruto, are you alright?" he asked agitatedly. After Gaara's unprovoked attack on him he'd come to his senses to find Naruto gone, and had instantly began what would be a few of the most nerve-wracking hours in his life. Thoughts of Naruto trapped by a maniacal freak were agonizing. _'I'll kill him if he did anything,'_ he thought fiercely to himself.

"Huh? I'm fine." Naruto spread his arms out and turned a circle to demonstrate his point. He smiled "See?"

"What did he want?" Sasuke growled, unconvinced.

"Oh…nothing," Naruto said hurriedly. "I used to know him. We just had a little chat."

"I thought you said you weren't sure if he was familiar," Sasuke said suspiciously.

Naruto laughed and put a hand behind his head. "I forgot," he answered truthfully. He beamed suddenly at Sasuke, breaking the tension and said "Neh, I'm hungry, can we go back now?"

Sasuke smiled and nodded at the blonde. As Naruto turned away and gave exclamations of ramen, he looked down the road where Gaara's car had disappeared and narrowed his eyes. _'Just who is he?'_

_--Uchiha Mansion—Friday--_

"I've got everything," Naruto said. He sat on top of one of his bags and began fiddling with one of the straps.

Friday already. And that meant that Naruto was leaving. Sasuke's face contained a barely disguised desolate look as he helped carry Naruto's bag to his car. He wanted Naruto to stay longer, but it was out of the question now that Tsunade was back. He hoped to himself that Tsunade's business trips would be regular occurences.

The only good thing he could think of at that moment was that since the first eventful night of Naruto's stay Itachi had not shown his face during neither day or night. The dust beginning to settle in his room suggested that he had not even returned to the house. Sasuke had some inkling as to the reason, as sources had already alerted half of Konoha to the fact that another two Akatsuki were dead, and that the killer had again gone free. _'All the worse for them' _he thought viciously.

"Are you ready to go yet Sasuke?" called Naruto. Sasuke was brought back to the present and he realized that Naruto was already sitting in the car. He nodded and started up his Porsche, driving them swiftly down the road.

The trip was quiet, for it seemed that Naruto was also caught up in thoughts of his own. His window was wide open and he was looking out of it. Sasuke could glimpse in the side mirror that an unfamiliar look of attentive concentration was on the blonde's face, and that the normally sparkling, azure eyes were dulled.

Naruto was still pondering over the event with Gaara. _'He said we used to be close'_, he thought. '_But how come Tsunade never told me about him then? She never mentions anything about Northside at all.' _He sighed and ruffled his hair in submission. _'I must have hit my head pretty damm hard.'_

A familiar looking house brought him to the realization that they were already in his street and he leaned out the window excitedly to see whether Tsunade's car was in the driveway. It was, and he grinned in delight.

Sasuke smiled fondly next to Naruto as he noticed his grin.

The front door slammed open as Sasuke pulled into the driveway next to Tsunade's car. Tsunade always knew when people arrived – it was an uncanny skill. She grinned not unlike Naruto as the two boys carried Naruto's luggage up the front steps to the door.

She gathered Naruto into a short hug and asked, "Happy to see me?"

"My wonderful, glorious freedom is gone!" he exclaimed mischieviously.

"…Gaki", Tsunade snorted. But she remained smiling nonetheless. "Sasuke," she said. "Thank you so much, sorry to have bothered you."

Sasuke gently waved off the thanks and said "It was no bother at all."

"You see, I behaved," Naruto grinned.

Tsunade rolled her eyes and the two began carrying Naruto's stuff past her into the house. She was about to follow when a flash of bright red caught her attention. She frowned and peered more closely at a distant tree.

Her eyes widened in disbelief and horror as a familiar figure with blood red hair stepped out from behind the tree and looked at her. Gaara inclined his head in acknowledgement, before turning and disappearing into the park.

* * *

"Hey, Sasuke! Can I come over again sometime?" Naruto asked as he unzipped his bag.

Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets and gave a little shrug. "Sure, why not?" he said evenly. _'Yes!' _he thought.

"Is your head alright, dobe?" he asked as he recalled earlier.

"Hmm? Oh." Naruto knocked on his own head with his knuckles and chuckled. "All good."

Sasuke nodded, and his next words were uttered uncomfortably. "I was worried when you just collapsed…I didn't know what to do."

Naruto's movements slowed considerably and he listened very carefully to Sasuke. "It's just…", Sasuke continued softly. "You're one of the most impor –" He coughed suddenly, interrupting himself and startling Naruto. He self-consciously mumbled an almost incoherent apology.

Naruto beamed happily and exclaimed "You're one of my closest friends too!" He didn't notice Sasuke's shoulders droop slightly as he turned back to unpacking his clothing.

"You're my closest friend," Naruto whispered to himself. He was facing away from Sasuke, and he gritted his teeth at the wall. "I won't forget you. I'll remember. Gaara too…definitely."

On the other side of the wall, Tsunade held a hand to her mouth. Her horrified eyes were wide, and her fist was clenched as she absorbed Naruto's words.

A ringing distracted all of them and Sasuke excused himself. Tsunade bailed into the next room to avoid him seeing her as he walked past with his mobile. "What is it Shika?" he asked. He sat at the top of the stairs, unknowing of Tsunade looking out of the door behind.

"_We've located him."_

"Him...?" Sasuke said. A hint of excitement was layered as he said, "You mean you found-"

"_Yes. The one who's been hiding from Akatsuki since he dared to betray them, the one who knows more than anyone else."_

"Zetsu," Sasuke whispered.

* * *

Next Chapter- Akuma launches into a capture plan, but they didn't expect Naruto to come along.

Review please!


	11. A Rat, A Hunt, A Fox

" "- talking

' ' – _thinking_

_Italics only- Memories/Flashbacks/Dreams_

In this chapter there will be places where you see double lines like this

--

-- Which I will be using when jumping between scenes in different places happening at the same time.

* * *

_**--Chapter Eleven—**_

_**--A Rat, A Hunt, A Fox—**_

Sasuke flipped his phone close and leapt to his feet. Behind him Tsunade retreated out of sight as he turned around and strode back to Naruto's room. Sasuke was too out of it to realize. He had just received the information that he'd been waiting on for months and was so eager that he was barely able to navigate himself to Naruto's doorway.

"Naruto?" he said as he entered the blonde's room.

Naruto turned around with a pair of his boxers in his hands. "Yeah?" he grinned. His azure eyes flickered for the slightest moment in suspicion as he saw the excitement in Sasuke's eyes and the phone clenched tightly in his hand. _'Who called him…?'_

"I've got to go now", Sasuke told him. "So I'll see you at school on Monday."

A flash of jealousy surfaced momentarily.

"Ok", he smiled.

"Bye." Sasuke began heading out the door, not looking back.

"Bye…"

Naruto stopped fidgeting with the boxers still in his hands, dropping them onto his bed and leaping over to pull up the blinds at the window. He watched as Sasuke reversed out the driveway and drove down the road, but not before he caught sight of the expression on the handsome face. Like a predator which had found its prey…

"Naruto."

Naruto let the blind fall quickly and flicked around to face Tsunade in what he hoped was an inconspicuous move. However, Tsunade had more pressing matters on her mind than Naruto's odd behavior. She was leaning on the door frame and asked him tersely, "Where is Sasuke going?"

Naruto shook his head. "I don't know." How he longed to…

"Really?" Tsunade chewed on her tongue. Naruto knew that habit- it always happened when Tsunade was in doubt or interrogating, and he was on the receiving end much more than he wished to be.

"Do you really not know?" Tsunade asked again.

Naruto shook his head again but Tsunade still appeared disbelieving. She walked over to him and lifted his chin. "Naruto. I don't know whether or not you know, but from now on I want you to not be around Sasuke so much anymore," she said clearly.

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed wildly. He felt a pressing weight on him as he considered the prospect of not being able to see Sasuke. "But just awhile ago you were letting me stay at his place and-"

"I know what I said a while ago. Listen to what I am saying now."

"Why?" Naruto asked glumly. He was annoyed at Tsunade now, and he turned his back on her to stare at the window instead.

Tsunade sighed at his childish behavior. She sat down on the bed and forced Naruto to sit down next to her. "Sasuke…he may not exactly be what we think he is," she said in a grim and regretful tone.

Naruto regarded her strangely, still annoyed. "I don't understand."

"I overheard him on the phone," Tsunade said gravely. "He's meeting someone at a bar. Understand Naruto, that he's underage, and the person he's meeting sounds like a drug dealer or worse-"

Naruto didn't listen to the rest. He'd heard enough. Sasuke was meeting someone at a bar.

Meeting.

Someone.

A girl?

"I'll be back later," he said suddenly, and he grabbed his jacket before running out the door away from Tsunade's shouts.

* * *

The middle aged man drinking at the counter of the _Densha Bar _would normally have been more than a little jumpy. He had need to be – he was wanted, and capture by either side would incur possible death. But after countless beers and cocktails, his otherwise cautious nature was completely unknown to him. Short grey hair which may once have been more well kept was now uncared for, except for a fringe obscuring his eyes – purposefully placed so as to make him even more incomprehensible.

But anyone who saw his eyes would remember them always. When they were closed he was as normal as anyone. But when they were open then together with his malicious grin he was a fiend. One eye a black pupil which remained permanently narrowed in suspicion. The other eye more wider, with a small, electric-blue pupil – looking in directions not corresponding with the other.

He was slumped onto the dirty marble counter before him with a half-empty bottle clutched in his left hand. His right hand reached forwards for several more bottles standing amongst an unreasonable amount of fallen, empty bottles. His head was face down on the table. His eyes were heavily lidded – he obviously hadn't been getting much sleep lately, and tonight he'd finally resorted to revealing himself in the hopes of an alcohol induced slumber.

It was a gamble which he'd lose.

A figure in a dark cloak sat down next to him and he forced himself to look blearily to the side at the hand which took one of his bottles. He snarled. The cloaked figure chuckled at this and said, "I dare say you've had enough?" He took a swig of the bottle and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "How reckless…" he uttered distastefully. "Zetsu."

And the cloaked figure smashed the bottle onto Zetsu's head.

The breaking of glass wasn't even audible in the din of the tavern behind them. Zetsu's scream only caused any spectators to retreat further back into the partying crowd. His sluggish mind processed the situation as he held a hand to the oozing blood on his forehead. _'They've found me… Who is it? Akatsuki?'_

More people joined his attacker who pulled off his cloak to reveal raven black hair and a face which was a mirror of his brother's. _'How ironic,'_ Zetsu thought. _'for them to always be opposing.'_

"Akuuma," he slurred spitefully. "It relieves me to know that you are less inclined to kill me…"

Sasuke's face was cold and expressionless - it was the face with which he greeted his enemies. Zetsu knew not to look into his eyes. If those eyes were as similar to Itachi's as their appearances were, then they would be just as dark – eyes which could strike fear into anyone with their callous, dismissive nature.

Only Shikamaru, Neji and Kiba stood next to Sasuke. Lee and Chouji lived too far away. They tensed as Zetsu moved and laughed sardonically. "Don't worry…" he mumbled. "I'm in no condition to retaliate...you didn't need to honor me with so many people."

Sasuke sat back down next to Zetsu and continued drinking from another bottle. The sight of him and Zetsu sitting next to each other was a pathetic comparison. Sasuke as calm and cool as ever drinking, while Zetsu's deranged form was slumped to half his height with his head bowed towards Sasuke.

"You've caught me," Zetsu said deeply. "What do you want? Or more precisely…what do you want to know?"

Kiba now laughed. "How can we trust what you say?"

"If – if Akatsuki captures me then then they will kill me," Zetsu coughed. "My only hope now is that they die before I do. Or what remains of them…you've been doing a good job so far."

"You're wrong," Sasuke said as he swirled his drink. "We didn't kill them."

Zetsu's eyes widened in surprise. "But who else could…?"

Sasuke sighed and pulled Zetsu up and threw him forwards onto the table. "We'll do the questioning here," he said coldly.

Zetsu chuckled and shrugged his hands. "Go ahead."

"You claim to know everything to do with Akatsuki," Sasuke said. "What is Itachi trying to do?"

"Dear, dear, you don't even know your own brother," Zetsu mocked.

Neji kneed him in the ribs and Zetsu gasped and clutched at his chest. He glared at Neji who encouraged him with a withering glare of his own.

"Itachi…" he said reluctantly, "is trying to gain control of the underworlds. He's been succeeding at an alarming rate." He scoffed to himself and mumbled, "He's a madman… to try something which no one ever has accomplished…"

"And just how does Itachi plan on doing that?" Sasuke asked coldly. It was a preposterous idea. Not even a possible concept. To try and control all the gangs was to dare them to kill you. Painfully.

"Itachi has a large number of gangs and corporations already under his control," Zetsu said. "Either through money, blackmail, or dealings, they all are allies of the Akatsuki. The smaller groups don't dare to retaliate. Over the past year there has been a large number of killings which can be linked back to Akatsuki- gangs which refused to cooperate. So I suppose you could say ruling by fear is also valid." He cackled and coughed.

Sasuke slowly took this in and thought. It would make sense for his insane brother to go try something as off the scale as this. It only proved that he had finally gone off the deep end. He suddenly remembered the reason why Zetsu had been so important in the first place and he turned dark eyes onto the ex-Akatsuki member. "Zetsu," he said silkily. "If I heard right, then you have something which should come in helpful to us."

Zetsu snorted, then pulled at the neck of his clothes until he withdrew a fine chain. On the end of the chain was a small rectangular container, a few centimeters across at most. Through the semi-transparent plastic they could see a memory card. Zetsu ripped the necklace from his neck and threw it to Sasuke. "Take it", he said without care. "I have no use for it now, not without a means to interpret it anyway. Take it as a reward for being able to find me so quickly. Perhaps you could finish what I started."

Sasuke passed the necklace and card to Shikamaru who pocketed them carefully.

Zetsu's eyes suddenly clasped themselves in surprise on something over Sasuke's shoulder and his mouth split into a horrid grin. "Well, well, how unexpected…it seems we have ourselves a lost _fox_."

The others turned around to where he was looking and their mouths all dropped to see Naruto standing a few steps away near the entrance of the bar. _'Déjà vu,'_ thought Sasuke.

Naruto approached them, appearing rather sheepish but at the same time determined. Sasuke watched the blonde in a stupor, and a feeling of anxiety gripped him as Naruto stopped directly in front of him. The expression on Naruto's face – a combination of relief, sadness, and annoyance at the same time- took away Sasuke's breath.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked softly. Naruto was once again doing things that he wouldn't expect. And yet he found it thrilling…a unique touch to the innocence.

Naruto decided it was much better to tell the truth. "I was looking for you", he said simply. There was a hint of melancholy in his voice that Sasuke couldn't understand.

Sasuke stared at him and Naruto stared back. Onyx locked onto sapphire in a serene, silent exchange. Next to them Shikamaru watched with an all-knowing smirk. Sasuke snapped out of it first and broke the connection like smashing ice. "You shouldn't have come," he snapped.

"You shouldn't keep things from your friends," Naruto said back. He had come, and seen that Sasuke hadn't been meeting someone. At least, not a girl. But the others were there, and it hurt him in a way he couldn't describe.

_'Why?' _he wondered to himself.

A movement came from the drunken man next to Sasuke and Naruto started as he stood up abruptly. He flinched at the demonic eyes of the drunk, and at the haggard voice that issued from the cracked lips like a torturous tune.

"Kyuubi," Zetsu rasped. "I never had the chance to meet you in person…I had to make my unfortunate escape soon after that particular incident…But I've heard a lot of things…" He coughed.

Naruto was freaking out and he whispered to Sasuke, "Is your friend alright?" By alright, he was referring to his sanity.

Sasuke sighed and associated Zetsu's behavior to the alcohol. "He's not my friend." He took the confused blonde by the wrist and muttered "We're going". He would not subject Naruto to this.

Protests issued from Naruto's mouth but Sasuke stemmed them with a muttered "Be quiet dobe", then pulled Naruto out the tavern. Outside, he let go of Naruto's wrist and turned to the others.

"We're done for tonight," he told them. They nodded and departed together, leaving Sasuke alone with Naruto.

They didn't say anything. The silence was like a stifling fog.

Naruto's voice cut through it like a knife. "Was that really a drug dealer?" he asked bitterly.

"What?"

"Was that man a drug dealer?" Naruto asked again. He kept his voice as low and level as possible.

Sasuke felt instant relief wash over him with those words. _'So that's what he was worried about,'_ he thought. "What gives you that idea?" he asked.

"Tsunade overheard you on the phone," Naruto said. He caught Sasuke's eye seriously. "Was he?"

Sasuke stared at him for a moment more, then to Naruto's alarm and disbelief he burst out laughing. It was too much. Here he was, taking care of Akatsuki involved in drug trafficking across _nations_, and Naruto was worried about him buying drugs. Naruto's brow creased in anger and he shouted "What's so funny teme?!"

Sasuke's laughing eventually eased down and he said to Naruto "Naivety really suits you." When Naruto hissed he sighed, "No, he was not a drug dealer. At least, I wasn't buying drugs from him."

Naruto stopped in mid-movement. "Really?" he asked.

"Really dobe."

"You're…you're not lying?"

Sasuke sighed again. "I'm not lying dobe, I can swear it. Why would I want drugs? I'm not an idiot."

Naruto's mouth was half open. The edges gradually curved upwards into a smile. "Teme!" he shouted, and he threw himself onto Sasuke in a hug.

Sasuke didn't react in time and collapsed under the momentum, both tumbling to the ground in a heap. Around them, people smirked and whistled as Naruto apologized and pulled himself blushing away from Sasuke. Sasuke's own cheeks were pink, and he quickly dragged Naruto away from the mutterings to his car.

As they drove back, Sasuke asked "Why were you looking for me?"

The blush returned to Naruto's cheeks and he stuttered like a schoolgirl. "No- no reason."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Naruto shouted, and Sasuke veered to avoid the truck in the next lane. He then returned his attention to Naruto. "It's awfully strange, don't you think, for you to look for me right after I just left your house?" he said cynically.

Naruto groaned. "Just drop it." Sasuke sniggered and Naruto glared at him.

_--Naruto's House--_

The first thing Naruto did when he got back in his house was run to Tsunade and announce to her excitedly, "It wasn't a drug dealer!" The second thing he did was cringe and cover his ears as Tsunade's apocalyptic voice of rage issued and screamed "YOU FOLLOWED HIM TO A _BAR_?!"

Naruto whimpered slightly but his knight in shining amour made his appearance at that moment. Sasuke appeared in a flash in the front door behind him and faced Tsunade.

"It had nothing to do with Naruto," he said in a low voice. "I apologize for my recklessness." He realized full well that admitting to a crime such as this before Tsunade could easily turn into one with dire consequences.

Tsunade hesitated as she considered whether she should vent out her feelings out on Sasuke as well as Naruto, but was stopped when Sasuke said "If you want to punish someone, I'll take it. Don't blame Naruto."

Naruto pulled urgently on Sasuke's sleeve but Sasuke ignored it. He kept his attention on Tsunade. Tsunade stared at him for a moment, and they could almost hear the cogs of her mind working. But they would never guess what she was thinking. 

_'They've become too close,'_ she thought. _'If I forbid Naruto from seeing Sasuke now…he might…'_

She let out an exasperated breath, and her brown eyes narrowed to a dangerous level. "I won't punish either of you this time," she said severely. "But don't give me any reason to do so in the future."

Naruto instantly reverted to being a bubbling ball of happiness and hugged Tsunade. Sasuke nodded appreciatively at her and Tsunade acknowledged him with a tilt of her head over Naruto's shoulder. _'I hope I've made the right decision,'_ she thought restlessly.

* * *

_A Few Weeks Later—_

"Stop frowning Sasuke, we're on vacation!" Naruto turned and began poking playfully at the cheeks of the person next to him on the bus for their school trip. Sasuke groaned and slapped them away, trying to go back to sleep.

Naruto scowled and threw all caution aside. He began tickling Sasuke. The Uchiha's eyes flew open and before so much as a chuckle escaped him, he'd grabbed Naruto's hands and turned the tables, making Naruto laugh uncontrollably as his fingers flew over his stomach. He aimed for the area directly around his navel, which he'd come to learn was extremely sensitive in the five hours that they'd been on this cursed bus.

"OK-Ha-stop!-Mercy!" Naruto said in between bursts of laughter. Sasuke tortured him for a few seconds more before stopping and bonking him lightly on the head for waking him.

Naruto pouted and Sasuke's stomach flipped at the adorable sight. "Sasuke," he said seriously. "You should really stop acting like a grouch all the time. Else everyone is going to start thinking you WANT them to think that you're a cold, icy, idiot, teme."

"And you", Sasuke retaliated with a smirk, "should stop using such a limited vocabulary unless you WANT everyone to believe you're a dobe."

Naruto glared at him.

"Teme."

"Dobe."

Sasuke sighed. "Can't you just go to sleep? For an hour? Minute?" Naruto was as hyper as ever. Five hours on a boring bus trip had not doused his mood in the least.

Naruto scoffed. "Where's the fun in that?"

"That SOME people can finally get some shut-eye!"

"Get your shut-eye then!"

"If you haven't noticed, that's what I've been trying to do for the past five hours!"

"Will you two lovebirds SHUT UP!" was the simultaneous cry that came from Kiba and Shikamaru in the seats behind them. The constant squabbling from the two in front of them ensured that they were going through the exact same torment as Sasuke. Naruto and Sasuke instantly sat up and glared at the pair behind them. "NOT UNTIL HE DOES!" they shouted.

This was going to be a long bus ride.

_--Back in Konoha—_

Tsunade's grocery shopping was quieter than normal. A LOT quieter than normal. It was so annoyingly quiet that her ears buzzed with the abnormality of it all. At the register she tapped the heel of her shoe restlessly in an attempt to simulate the extreme volume of noise which Naruto normally would've taken care of.

As she picked up her shopping and started to leave through the automatic slide doors she ran into a man and dropped several bags. She sighed and bent down to pick them up. The man apologized, bending down to help her.

There was a large amount of white in her range of vision. A familiar, frizzy white. She snapped her head up to the man kneeling beside her and her jaw dropped. "Jiraiya!" she exclaimed.

The man looked up in surprise at Tsunade. He grinned and shouted, "Old Lady!"

A vein twitched.

POW

* * *

Naruto dropped down onto his bed in the room that he and Sasuke would now be sharing for two weeks. They got to choose their room buddies, and of course, Naruto and Sasuke were together. Naruto groaned and squirmed on the sheets. "I'm so _tired._"

"I wonder why," Sasuke said dryly as he dropped his luggage next to his bed. Naruto chucked one of his pillows at him and he ducked. Before he could straighten a blonde flash had tackled him onto his bed and Naruto successfully sat on his stomach. Naruto made a victory sign and laughed.

Sasuke was quiet beneath him. Naruto looked down and saw Sasuke was staring up at him, a strange look in his obsidian eyes. Naruto waved his hands a few times in front of Sasuke's line of vision and shoved his face in Sasuke's when he received no reaction. "I'm not _that_ heavy, I can't have given you a concussion that…easily…" He broke off as Sasuke closed his eyes.

Sasuke breathed in Naruto's scent deeply. A luscious combination of sweet, fruity fragrance coupled with an aromatic frangipani that Sasuke inferred was from the shampoo Naruto used. Naruto found with curiosity that Sasuke smelt like apple blossom and an oddly tantalizing musk. Naruto's eyes slid up Sasuke's flawless face until he came to his eyes again. They had reopened and now captured his own in their gaze, and Naruto swallowed a breath.

Sasuke moved his head up and kissed him.

--

--

"To your good health, Tsunade," Jiraiya wheezed as they clinked sake bottles over the low table. "If only you would grant me the same…" He winced and rubbed the bruise which was now on his cheek.

Tsunade put her hand on the back of her head and laughed guiltily. She swallowed a mouthful of sake and said "You should know by now I don't like being called an – an-"

"Old lady?" Jiraiya offered helpfully. He skillfully dodged the empty sake bottle that went flying past his left ear onto the tiled wall and grinned. "I see your temper hasn't changed the slightest."

Tsunade's eyes moved down to the large pocket on the front of Jiraiya's overcoat. Surely enough, the corners of several pieces of paper as well as an unmistakable red covered book were poking out. "I see you're still as perverse as always," she tittered.

Jiraiya snorted and waved a hand. "I've improved. At least I don't go after old la-"

CRACK. The porcelain sake bottle fractured threateningly in Tsunade's hand.

Jiraiya hurriedly coughed and cut off the rest of his sentence. A change of subject would be good. He mustered up a casual look and asked Tsunade "What might you be doing in Konoha? Business?"

"Oh. No, not at all."

"…I see…"

Silence.

Jiraiya shifted a little on his cushion. "How's the kid?" he asked.

Tsunade gave him a strained smile. "He's getting better." Jiraiya nodded slowly. "Ever since we moved here," Tsunade said, "his condition has been improving."

CRACK

Another sake bottle was reduced to shards but this time it was by Jiraiya's hand. He dropped the pieces and looked at Tsunade in horror. "You moved here?"

Tsunade frowned at him. "Surely it can't be that bad for us to live in the same city as you?"

He shook his head. "That's not what I meant," he said distractedly. He looked at her austerely. "What school is Naruto going to?"

"Konoha High," Tsunade said. "Why does it matter?"

Jiraiya groaned and put his face in his hands. "No, no, no!" He looked at her desperately. "Do you have any idea what kind of place Konoha is?"

"I was under the impression it was where you lived. It can't be all bad if the worst they produce is perverts like you," Tsunade said primly.

"There can't be a worse place for Naruto to be," Jiraiya whispered.

Tsunade's eyes widened.

--

--

Naruto's eyes were as wide as saucers. Sasuke's lips were still on his. He unintentionally remembered that time at Sasuke's mansion much like this time, only he had started it. What was Sasuke doing?

'_His lips are so soft,'_ he thought. _'But…'_

But something didn't quite feel right.

He quickly pulled himself back away from Sasuke and off the bed. He stood there warily. "What were you doing?"

Sasuke moistened his lips but didn't say anything. He felt like hitting himself for his actions. _'What if he's scared of me now?'_ he thought in fear. _'What if he hates me?' _He cursed himself for not controlling his hormones. He stood up and took a step towards Naruto, but some other force made Naruto take a step back.

Sasuke opened his mouth, about to say something. And in that moment Naruto realized he didn't want to hear whatever it was. Would Sasuke tell him it was a mistake? Would it be some excuse, the end of their friendship?

'_I don't want to hear it!'_

He ran to the door and pulled it open, running out before Sasuke could say anything.

--

--

Jiraiya patted Tsunade gently on the back. She was crying softly and he sighed.

"_Konoha itself is almost an entire underworld. Everyone here knows, and everyone knows that Konoha High is the heart of it all…the most brutal and secretive place. Naruto will certainly come into contact with gang relations again__ if he lives here."_

But then, there had been more he'd had to tell her.

"_I hate to tell you this Tsunade, but I researched into the ones who brought down t__he Jinchuuriki - the Akatsuki, and I found out that they were never from Northside. They live in Konoha."_

"Where is Naruto now?" Jiraiya asked grimly. _'I have to see him.'_

"He- he's on a vacation with the school..."

Tsunade grabbed Jiraiya's collar and he could see her tear-stained face and running mascara as she said wildly, "I thought I was doing the right thing to bring him here! I thought I was taking him away from it all! And instead, I take him right to the people who tried to kill him…" She wailed. "What do I do?! What if he remembers?!"

Jiraiya soothed her softly, his own face grim. "Hush…we'll figure something out…"

'_Kami. What is going to happen during that vacation?'_

* * *

Next Chapter – It's only the first day of their vacation, and things are already heating up both with Naruto and back at Konoha. Jiraiya and Tsunade continue their talk, while the Konoha High kids explore a bit.

Review!


	12. His Mask Slips

" " – talking

' '_- thinking_

_Italics only- Memories/Flashbacks/Dreams_

* * *

_**--Chapter Twelve—**_

_**--His Mask Slips—**_

Naruto's flying feet carried him from their dorms and outside to under the midday sun. _'What just happened?!' _he thought as he ran. His mind whirred and the sound of his thudding feet against the ground resounded in the disturbed air.

_'__That teme!' _

He kept on running along the concrete path until he was alongside a grassy hill facing the sandy shores and ocean further down below. The crystal blue water lapped gently on the golden sand with a calmness that seemed to placate him.

He bent over and put his hands on his knees and shuddered, panting heavily. He'd run a long way – all the way to the beach.

_'All the better'_, he thought bitterly. _'I'll be harder to find.' _He ignored the bench that was behind him and let himself fall backwards onto the soft, green grass instead. His thoughts instantly flew back to a raven haired teen.

'_Stupid Sasuke…why does he always have to make me feel so confused?' _He unconsciously began ripping out the grass beneath his palm, and he squeezed his eyes shut. No matter how much he wanted to tell himself otherwise, that had definitely been a kiss. Sasuke's lips had stayed there. There had been feeling. And…

…Passion?

'_He just kissed me for no reason. Could he…?' _He shook his head frantically. _'No way.'_

His breathing began leveling out again and a soft breeze lifted golden strands of hair as he gazed glumly up at the clouds floating calmly through the sky. _'Why…why didn't I yell at him?' _he wondered._ 'Why did I run?' _He groaned loudly in frustration.

There was a rustling sound and he sat up abruptly as someone moved from the path onto the grass behind him. He was about to shout at them before he realized who it was, and he stared in dumb shock as the person sat himself down on the grass next to him.

"Gaara?" he said weakly. Gaara nodded curtly at him.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked. They were around 10 minutes run away from their lodges and it seemed very coincidental that Gaara would show up here of all places. _'Stop being suspicious,'_ he scolded himself. _'He might have just been seeing what the city is like.'_

Gaara looked out over the sparkling ocean and his red hair blew wildly around his face as he answered calmly. "The same thing as you. Thinking."

Naruto turned pink as he was brought to the fact he'd been thinking about the kiss with Sasuke and stuttered, "I – I'm not thinking about anyone!"

Gaara looked at him in amusement and said "I never said you were thinking about anyone." Naruto's mouth was opened in an 'o' as he realized his own mistake. He sighed miserably to himself and turned to face the sea, away from Gaara's curious stare.

His troubled azure eyes looked dolefully at their mirror in the cerulean waters. _'Sasuke…'_ he thought mournfully.He slapped himself on the face with his hand and Gaara stared. Gaara could almost _see_ the tears of frustration running down Naruto's face like waterfalls.

He heaved a breath. "What's wrong?"

Naruto grumbled and muttered something that sounded like "Nothin' … stupid … Sasuke … teme … wrong." He stopped talking, and a heavy silence befell.

Gaara waited patiently.

Naruto relented and twisted to face him."Sasuke kissed me!" he almost shouted. He was breathing heavily once again and his face was distressed and flustered.

Gaara had pulled himself backwards from Naruto's outburst and was now looking at Naruto in a combination of bafflement and growing sadness. Naruto recovered himself slightly and snapped "What?" at the strange look on the redhead's face. He didn't understand.

Gaara hesitated then asked "What…what was your reaction? Are you…confused?"

Naruto flinched. The way Gaara asked…it was like he _knew_ about that little skirmish that was now happening in his mind! He groaned again and put his head on his knees. _'Why am I getting so worked up over this? It was just a kiss.' _He backtracked and corrected himself. _'It was a kiss from A GUY. A guy that's supposed to be my friend.' _That made things so much more complicated. Friends normally didn't do things like that. Did they?

Even if they did, what about that look he'd seen in Sasuke's eyes? And that flutter he felt in his chest…?

"Do you need help?" Gaara asked quietly from his side.

"How can you help?" Naruto mumbled into his lap.

"Like this."

He was caught unawares, and Naruto felt himself be pushed backwards and hands held his face as once again, his lips were enclosed by those of another as Gaara kissed him.

His first instinctive thought was that of repulsion. Gaara's eyes were closed and his lips were barely moving, but there was still such a strong feeling of _invasion_. The lips did not feel warm to him. They felt sloppy and cold, with an unacceptable presence.

His second thought was Sasuke. Of soft, gentle lips, dark raven hair and deep, obsidian eyes. His blue eyes widened as he felt a hand move to his thigh and he pushed Gaara roughly in the chest as he scrambled to his feet.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he shouted furiously. His lips were dry but he didn't lick them. He didn't want to after what had been there seconds before.

Gaara gave him an incomprehensible look and stood up. He caught Naruto's eye and Naruto stuttered wordlessly.

"Do you feel disgusted?" Gaara asked him. Naruto didn't say anything, settling himself to continuing to glare furiously at the redhead.

'_He's a guy. Of course I can feel disgusted,'_ he thought.

"But you weren't disgusted when Sasuke did it, were you?"

Naruto started. "What?"

"I said. You don't mind it when Sasuke kisses you."

"That's not true!" Naruto shouted.

"Then why are you here shouting at me when you should be back at the lodges shouting at Sasuke?" Gaara accused. "Why did you run away?"

"I-I-"

Gaara began walking away and Naruto shouted after him.

"Wait!"

Gaara lifted a hand in goodbye. "Figure it out Naruto. Even you should be able to."

* * *

Shikamaru yawned and scratched his head. Kiba groaned from his bed in their shared room and said "Are you _still_ trying to crack that stupid thing?"

Shikamaru pulled the memory card from the laptop before him and strode over to Kiba. He shoved the card in front of Kiba's face and said with a glower, "_This_ stupid thing has everything that we want to know. If we can crack it, it may be more effective against Akatusuki than all the other things we've been doing for the past few years."

Kiba pushed the hand away. "I get it, I get it, you're starting to sound like Sasuke, so just crack it already and then we can go outside." Shikamaru returned to his laptop and plugged the card back in.

"This is not Hidan's style," he muttered to himself as he worked. "Nor is it similar to any of the others on Akatsuki's files."

"Sho whaf dush thash mean?" Kiba muffled into his pillow.

Shikamaru rounded dangerously on the annoying dog lover. "That I have to start from scratch, since I know nothing about the person who encoded this stupid thing!"

"I'm glad you agree it's a stupid thing," Kiba grinned, lifting his head.

Shikamaru growled then slammed down the cover of his laptop. He pulled out the memory card and put it back into it's safe spot in his pocket. "I'm going outside for a break," he announced, and he pulled open the door and stormed through it.

Kiba scrambled to his feet and rushed after him. "Wait for me!"

They began walking down the carpeted, red hallway that all the rooms lead off. They were in a room next to Sasuke and Naruto on one side, and Lee and Chouji on the other side. Shikamaru knocked on the door to Sasuke and Naruto's room and frowned when he didn't hear anything.

'_They can't have gone anywhere yet. We just got here,'_ he thought. He put a hand on the lever handle and pushed on it. He was surprised to find that it opened and they entered the room.

Kiba gleefully ran ahead of him to where Sasuke was sitting on his bed but from behind, Shikamaru could sense something was not right.

'_Where is Naruto?'_

Sasuke himself looked decrepit and depressed, and didn't even seem to notice Kiba. He sat slackly on the edge of his bed and stared blankly into the space before him. Shikamaru's keen eye caught the messed up sheets beneath Sasuke and noticed the disheveled state of his hair.

"Kiba, you were hungry weren't you?" Shikamaru said, walking over to stand next to him and Sasuke. "Go eat."

"Never thought you'd ask, are you com –"

"Later."

Kiba left the room without question to satiate his hunger and Shikamaru closed the door behind him. He turned to Sasuke.

"What happened?" he asked hollowly.

Sasuke wasn't happy to find himself alone with Shikamaru and he pulled himself up and began piling out his clothes from his bag. Shikamaru approached him slowly but to Sasuke, the soft padding of feet on the carpet was threatening…

"Nothing," he said coolly. There was a tremor at the end of his voice that he couldn't control.

"Why isn't Naruto here?" Shikamaru said.

"He went out."

"Why didn't he take his wallet?"

"He forgot it."

"His stuff is a mess."

"He's like that."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing!"

"Did you try to –"

"SHUT UP!"

Sasuke stopped all movement and so did Shikamaru. Sasuke's hand trembled, and he faced away from him. "You already figured it out," he said, trapped. "Stop asking me."

Therein lay Sasuke's confession that he had fallen for Naruto. Had Shikamaru not known Sasuke for as long as he did he would have flipped. Instead, he looked satisfied, but it quickly melted into a grim expression. "How serious?"

"I kissed him…" Sasuke said. _'And I don't even know if I regret it.'_

"You really like him then?"

Sasuke whipped around immediately, his eyes flashing. "You think I'm doing this for the heck of it? That I _want_ to torture myself?" He didn't know what to do around Naruto anymore. The blonde was too much.

He slumped back down onto his bed and Shikamaru heaved a sigh. He could see that Sasuke was serious. _'I've never seen him this worked up over anything, or this emotionally attached to anything.' _Except Itachi, but that was an attachment formed through blood and hatred…

Shikamaru didn't doubt that Naruto had the same feelings for Sasuke. He _did,_ however, suspect Naruto was too naïve to figure it out. And until he did, that meant Sasuke would be in a depressed, foul mood and Naruto would be confused and avoiding the Uchiha, neither being a desirable thing in the slightest on this two week long vacation.

Those two needed to figure things out. But for that to happen, it would require planning… an intelligent mind, lots of help…Shikamaru smirked.

"Sasuke. What are you planning on doing?"

"I _don't know,_" Sasuke groaned.

"Why don't you just tell him straight to his face?"

Sasuke didn't say anything. One word described perfectly well what he was fearing. _Rejection_. He would be risking their entire friendship.

Shikamaru nodded in an understanding sort of way.

"Just…just give me some time alone," Sasuke sighed.

Shikamaru was already at the door and he opened it. "Sasuke. Go to the common room tonight. Naruto will be there."

He vanished through the door.

* * *

Jiraiya sipped on a cup of coffee in the kitchen of Tsunade's household. Tsunade stood while he sat, biting on her lip.

Jiraiya stirred his coffee with a metal spoon. His reflection swirled in the rippling surface.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Jiraiya!"_

_Jiraiya didn't look at the woman pulling desperately on his arm. His eyes were locked on the double doors to the emergency room that were still swinging from the impact with the bed that had been wheeled through it seconds before._

_Tsunade shouted his name again, __wanting reassurance from him._

_The beginning of many hours in that waiting room…_

_Tsunade gently brushed back the golden locks over the bandages on Naruto's head. Naruto himself did not move, he was still unconscious. Jiraiya watched as Tsunade bent down lower and kissed Naruto on the forehead. She had said something to him; Jiraiya hadn't heard what it was._

_Naruto had been unconscious for a long time…It had been f__ive days since he had been rushed to the hospital. _

'_Wake up soon,' Jiraiya though sadly._

* * *

"_WHERE AM I?!" Naruto writhed desperately away from the hands that tried to grab him. Jiraiya was one of them, and he tried to immobilize Naruto to stop any wounds reopening from the reckless movement._

"_Naruto! Naruto!"_

"_No! I'm not Naruto! I don't know! Who are you?! Get away from me! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Tsunade was also next to him now but this only seemed to spark another nerve to the anxiety in Naruto._

"_Doctor, what's happening?" Jiraiya asked over his shoulder. _

_Naruto didn't recognize any of them. _

_Naruto heard the question and seemed to think it was directed at him. His struggles intensified and blood began to seep through his clothes. His face was contorted in pain, and an unfamiliar look of pure grief was in his eyes. _

"_Gaara…" he said. "Yugito…NO!__" _

_He screamed, and his voice was reverberating with the pain he felt._

"_Naruto, calm down!" Jiraiya shouted._

_His name finally brought a flash of recognition to Naruto's eyes, but it vanished again and with a vicious thrash, Naruto had everyone a meter away from him. _

_With the movements of a trapped man Naruto looked wildly around him. His faded blue eyes landed on the vase of flowers next to his bed and he lunged fowards. The vase smashed to the ground and he bent down, lifting a piece of the jagged porcelain to his wrist…_

_He successfully made one cut before he was pushed down and his movements were completely restricted. He screamed again as a needle was inserted into his arm._

_He fell silent__ into a drugged sleep, with the tears still running down his face._

_END FLASHBACK_

"He didn't remember either of us," Jiraiya said. "But he still remembered Gaara and Yugito."

"What happened when he woke up was probably for the better…" Tsunade murmured.

_FLASHBACK_

_Naruto's eyes slowly opened and he pushed himself upright against his pillows. Tsunade and Jiraiya both got to their feet, prepared._

_To their surprise a confused smile was on Naruto's face. "Why am I here?" he asked them innocently. He moved a hand tenderly over the bandages on his torso._

_Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a baffled look then rushed over to Naruto. "Do you remember who we are?" Tsunade demanded._

_Perplexed, Naruto said, "Of course!" He pointed at hand at Tsunade. "Tsunade." She nodded and he pointed a hand at Jiraiya. "Ero Sennin."_

_Jiraiya was so happy that he ignored the slight on his name and grabbed Naruto in a crushing bear hug. "You brat…you scared us. You're alright," he said in relief._

"_Of course I'm alright", Naruto said. His confused expression returned. "Why am I here?"_

_At this question, Jiraiya and Tsunade both stopped in their tracks. _

_Naruto repeated the question. "Why am I in the hospital?"_

"_Naruto…" The blue eyes were slowly fading again. _

"_Don't you __remember what happened at Northside High?" Jiraiya said._

"_No. Why would I have been at school? I last remember being in the car with Tsunade."_

'_Shit.'_

"_What about Gaara?" Jiraiya said. He had a nagging suspicion…_

_Naruto lifted his head, his eyes sincerely wide with unfamiliarity. _

"_Who's Gaara?"_

_END FLASHBACK_

Jiraiya massaged his temple with his forefingers. Tsunade gazed out the window, her face solemn.

Jiraiya sighed. "When he comes back, leave Konoha."

"Why?! We can't go back to Northside!"

"Akatsuki is here," Jiraiya snapped. "They'll try and kill him again."

Tsunade fell silent.

She said quietly, "What if he doesn't want to go?"

"…It's for his own good."

* * *

Sasuke was at the common room. He only went because Shikamaru told him Naruto would be there.

'_God damm you Shikamaru…', _he thought.

Naruto was there alright. But so was another half a dozen or so people. Naruto was sitting comfortably on one of the couches in between Kiba and Neji, and he laughed at something Kiba said. He still didn't notice Sasuke's presence.

Shikamaru noticed though, as did Sakura and Ino. Shikamaru began walking towards him but was beat to it by the two fan-girls, who each leeched themselves onto one of his arms and pulled him to sit on the carpeted floor with them. Naruto finally seemed to see him there and his teeth gritted as he saw Ino and Sakura with him.

Shikamaru sighed. The plan would just have to go ahead without explaining to Sasuke first.

His devious, unbelievably intelligent plan.

"Who's in for truth or dare!"

A bottle was thrown at his head and he caught it. Kiba shouted raucously, "You just won't stop it with the games will ya?" The others shouted agreement.

Shikamaru held up the bottle and grinned. "This will do."

The people around Naruto dissipated as they went to slowly form a circle on the carpet. Naruto held back, reluctant.

Sasuke took this opportunity to corner him and he looked up at Sasuke in a failed attempt at sublimity. "What is it now?"

"Listen, Naruto. About before, I wasn't playing around."

"What-"

"I meant it," Sasuke said seriously.

Naruto looked at his eyes, long and hard. Sasuke's eyes were dark like always, but there was hope in them.

_'No way.'_

"Who do you think you're kidding," Naruto muttered. Sasuke opened his mouth again but Naruto roughly pushed past him.

Sasuke felt a flash of anger and betrayal. _'I tell him and he just pushes me away!' _He looked at Naruto's form moving towards the others. He suddenly heard a soft voice.

"You can't love me…" Naruto said, so softly that Sasuke wondered whether he'd heard right.

Naruto hurriedly sat down next to Kiba and a contemptuous Sakura. To his horror, Sasuke sat down directly opposite him.

"What's the punishment for backing down?" Neji asked. They pondered on what would be the most horrifying, demoralizing punishment they could think of.

"If you don't take your task…then you'll have to walk into Kakashi's room _naked_!" Kiba exclaimed. Everyone shuddered at the ultimatum. It was a good punishment.

Shikamaru eyed Naruto and Sasuke, marking their positions as he gently turned the bottle in his palm. He'd have to spin the bottle very delicately…

The bottle disappeared from his hands and he spluttered as Kiba placed it on the carpet. "I'll start!" Shikamaru felt like strangling him. _'He's ruining my plans!'_

The bottle span, it's metallic lid pointing at everyone in turn. It landed on Shino.

Shino looked emotionless. "Dare."

Shikamaru slapped a hand to his head, beyond doubt that Kiba's dare would be in some way perverse. He was proven correct as Kiba said with a snigger of laughter, "I dare you to go and dance naked in front of the girl's block!"

"That's almost as bad as the punishment!" Chouji said.

"_Almost,_" Shino said. "I'll take this over that." He began pulling off his clothes. Sakura and Ino 'eeped' and quickly turned away. Naruto also didn't fancy seeing Shino in all his glory, and he busied himself with looking the other direction which eventually lead to him looking at Sasuke.

"What dance?" Shino asked when he was undressed. He stood tall and unashamed.

"Macarena," Kiba said sweetly.

Shino left, and several of them – including Kiba- followed to make sure Shino carried out his dare. Several high pitched screams followed by raucous laughter confirmed that he had and they came back with Kiba clutching his stomach in mirth. Shino unhurriedly re-donned his clothes.

The next victim was Lee, who also chose dare. They dared him to burn a picture of Gai sensei. Lee's tragic moans and wails were worse than the screams of the girls before.

Next up was Chouji, who chose truth.

"Are you a virgin?" Lee asked teasingly.

Naruto smiled to himself, the question wasn't really a guesser. Half a dozen people fell backwards when Chouji said, "No."

Lee recovered and shouted, "WHO!?"

Chouji pointed to his left. Ino's face burned bright red, and she looked at the floor.

The game continued and to Shikamaru's frustration, the bottle never landed on either him, Naruto or Sasuke. Neji was the next one to spin, having recuperated from his traumatizing dare to exchange Romeo and Juliet lines with Sasuke. The bottle's line of fate directed itself at Sakura.

Sakura pursed her lips together, smiling a sickeningly sweet smile at everyone. "Dare," she said. _'Dare me to kiss Sasuke!' _she thought threateningly.

Neji thought for a moment. _'I know she just wants to slobber all over Sasuke…and as much as I'd like to see Sasuke suffer, I don't want to give her satisfaction either.'_

"I dare you to kiss Lee."

Sakura's green pupils widened, and she glared in hatred at Neji.

"If you don't do it, then you'll be spending the night with Kakashi."

Sakura rolled her tongue, then sighed angrily. "I suppose." She crawled over to Lee who had his lips puckered in anticipation, and kissed him. They expected her to draw back immediately but to their surprise, she stayed and the two were soon French kissing. It got disturbing as Lee began to almost _drool_ on Sakura.

Sakura finally pulled herself away and sat back in her spot. She wiped her mouth as though it was nothing and said, "Happy?" She took the bottle and gave it a resilient twist.

'_Now what's the chances it'll land on who she wants it to be,' _everyone thought.

It landed on Sasuke. Shikamaru's mind screamed. This wasn't turning out the way it was supposed to!

"Sasuke!" Sakura began without waiting. "Do you love me?"

Sasuke snorted. "That's easy. No." Naruto twitched ever so slightly and Sakura instantly slumped, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.

Sasuke spun the bottle. It made 5 full revolutions before creaking to a stop at…Naruto.

'_This isn't right!' _was all that Shikamaru could think.

"Truth," Naruto said lowly.

"Naruto…do you like someone?"

Naruto hesitated. _'He planned this…teme…'_

"Don't lie…" Sasuke said.

'_Like…I like him don't I?' _Naruto thought, resigned.

He turned his head to the side and muttered quietly, "Yes."

He was instantly bombarded by questions from all sides but he determinately kept his mouth shut. He ignored everyone and spun the bottle.

Sasuke stared at him. _'He likes someone. But he didn't listen to me just now, so it can't be me…who?' _A biting vengeance began to well up in his heart, and his head snapped to look down as the bottle stopped with it's lid pointing at him again.

"Truth."

"Let us have some fun," Kiba complained, but was quickly prodded into silence by Shikamaru.

Naruto pondered, his eyes dejectedly on the floor.

"Sasuke. Are you gay?"

"…"

"Yes."

An uproar exploded forth and Sakura and Ino had to be pinned to the floor. Naruto looked at Sasuke in disbelief. _'I can't believe he said that in front of everyone.'_

Sasuke spun the bottle. A chilly breeze stopped it at Naruto.

A quiver ran through them…there was a feeling of foreboding in the room.

"Truth."

"Would you ever go out with me?"

Naruto flinched. _'I can't stand you…this hurts. This game…YOUR game.'_

"Yes."

By now, everyone could sense the tension between Naruto and Sasuke. The air between them was thick with it. Naruto spun the bottle. He was granted his revenge as it came to rest on Sasuke one last time, and he took a quavering breath. _'I'll make him break his own game…'_

"Do you love me?"

* * *

Behold, my evil cliffy! Review and I shall grant you the rope to get off this cliffy!

Next Chapter- Yes or no? Naruto can't stand it, and escapes, only to be confronted by Sasuke.


	13. Possessive Obsession

Sorry that it's somewhat shorter, but hopefully SasuNaru fans will enjoy!!

" " – talking

' '_- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Thirteen—**_

_**--Possessive Obsession—**_

"_Do you love me?"_

Sasuke sat stoic still. Around him and Naruto everyone was waiting with bated breath, waiting for the impossible...

Naruto smiled bitterly to himself and felt a sad rush of satisfaction. Sasuke would never say yes. He was just messing with him, he'd never actually _say_ that he loved him.

'_It's probably just a game to him…who the hell would ever–'_

"Yes."

Naruto's head snapped upwards so quickly that his neck cricked and his mouth opened wordlessly. Had he really just...? His body felt numb, he could no nothing but stare at the Uchiha.

Similar reactions were coming from the others but nothing could compare to Naruto. He slumped limply, his cerulean eyes looked in fazed shock at Sasuke.

"What the hell…?" he whispered.

"_No one cares…See? No one is coming to help you…"_

"…"

"_Why don't you say anything? You know it's true, don't you? Only _I _am there for you. Only _I _love you."_

_A hand cupped his cheek, but he couldn't do anything._

"_You don't love me…" he whispered._

"Naruto," Sasuke continued, watching the blonde. He couldn't stop now, he would sort everything out. He began to get up. "I lo-"

"NO!" Naruto scrambled to his feet. He shook his head violently and Sasuke could see he was distressed.

"No you don't," he said. The look he gave Sasuke was one of betrayal and hurt. "Don't use words like that with me!" He turned around and ran across the room to the stairs that lead back up to the lodges and disappeared up them. Sasuke himself could only stare after where the blonde of his affections had gone, so close to confessing...

Sakura took one look at the expression on Sasuke's face and she wailed before rushing from the room, hurriedly followed by Ino. The people that were left over ignored them and exchanged glances.

"What?" Sasuke asked quietly. "Do you have a problem with me now that you know I'm gay?"

"Neji's gay isn't he?" Kiba said. He was looking at Sasuke as if seeing him properly for the first time, but there was no disgust there. Only an indignity at having been rudely awakened to the reality. "You don't see us kicking him around. Why didn't you tell us?"

"Follow him," Shikamaru said, overriding Kiba's question.

Sasuke looked at Shikamaru but didn't move. To everyone's shock, Neji took a step forward and swiftly punched Sasuke in the face. Sasuke held onto his jaw and snarled up at the Hyuuga.

"You had that coming," Neji seethed. "You really are gutless, Uchiha. If this is all it takes to make you give up then you don't deserve Naruto." He roughly pulled Sasuke to his feet and shoved him towards the stairs. "Go!" he commanded.

Sasuke hesitated and Shikamaru sighed. "Do you really want to lose him? He's just got some trust issues…"

They watched as Sasuke slowly began to climb the stairs. Shikamaru sighed again.

* * *

_No one cares._

CRASH

The lamp and statue that had been on the table went flying across the room to shatter into pieces on the ground. Naruto panted heavily before he started grabbing things off the shelves and throwing them too. This was a first class room, filled with statues and plenty of breakables.

'_How dare he,'_ he thought despairingly. _'How can he SAY that, when it's obviously a lie?!'_

He threw a book at the mirror hanging on the wall, and a gossamer of cracks appeared through it's surface. His winced and looked down to see that his fingers were bleeding.

Click.

Naruto whipped around to face the now open door.

Blue eyes met black.

Sasuke's face was wiped blank of emotion. He took one sweeping gaze of the mess their room had become – sheets everywhere, table and bookshelf upturned, dents in the walls - and pulled the door shut behind him. He locked it.

"Go away," Naruto panted. His eyes darted to the locked door, a movement that was not missed by Sasuke.

Sasuke began to walk slowly towards Naruto. "This is my room too…" he uttered, his eyes never leaving Naruto.

"Fine! I'll leave then!" Naruto strode towards the door.

In a flash, Sasuke grabbed him as he walked past and tackled the blonde to the carpet. Naruto gasped as his head hit the ground and Sasuke's weight pressed down on him. "Get off me!" he shouted. Sasuke ignored him and sat on his waist, pinning Naruto's hands to the ground next to him when he protested and tried to punch him.

Naruto's chest heaved and he struggled to try and get up. Sasuke restrained him effortlessly and kept his hands on Naruto's small wrists. _'He's so fragile…'_ he thought in shock. _'Was he always this skinny?' _It filled him with a fear that he might be hurting the blonde, but he remained where he was, determined.

After awhile, Naruto finally stopped struggling against Sasuke and slumped back on the ground as he realized that he wasn't going anywhere until Sasuke let him. His golden locks spilt like liquid gold against the navy, blue carpet and his breath came out ragged as he cursed himself for not being able to do anything.

"Just hear me out Naruto," Sasuke said. The boy below him gave no indication to show he'd heard. "I meant what I said, I'm serious."

Naruto ignored him and looked resolutely at the carpet next to him. _'He can't be serious. He's popular, rich, and...just perfect. There's no way.'_

Sasuke slowly removed his hands from Naruto's wrists. Naruto made no effort to escape and Sasuke felt anger mixed into the bitterness now. "Am I not good enough?!" he demanded suddenly. "You said you would go out with me, so why this?!"

_'Why won't you believe me?'_

He lost control and began to shake Naruto's shoulders harshly. "Do you already like someone?! Is it Gaara?!"

Finally realizing he had regained use of his arms, Naruto gave Sasuke another punch on his face symmetrical to the one from Neji. Sasuke's head snapped to the side and stayed looking down at the carpet with his raven hair covering his face. "IT'S YOU, YOU TEME!" Naruto screamed. He looked furiously up at the Uchiha, who still didn't say anything. The silence in the room very abruptly became stiffling, and the only sounds audible were their irregular breathing.

Suddenly scared and regretful, Naruto asked hesitantly, "Are you ok?" He recoiled when Sasuke turned back to him. Those eyes...

_No one loves you…_

"Do you hate me that much?" Sasuke whispered to him softly.

Naruto's heart clenched and he looked at the bruise that he'd given Sasuke. _'I don't hate you, that's not it at all.'_

"Stop lying to me. If you really take me as a friend, then stop _playing_ _with me,_" Naruto said with an air of finality. He sighed and said, "I give up."

Sasuke leant down, his breath brushed softly against Naruto's neck as he spoke. "I'm not lying. I meant every single word. I'd never hurt you, and I definitely _won't_ let you go."

A shiver ran down Naruto's spine, one that sent vibes of yearning throughout his body. He desperately suppressed them, refusing to give in. "There's no reason-"

"Do I need a reason…" Sasuke laughed bitterly. "…for why I've fallen for an idiotic, clumsy usuratonkatchi?" Naruto's pulse sped up at the hot breath that was rushing across his skin. _'Sasuke…'_

"You don't-" he began defiantly.

He was cut off because Sasuke had leant down and taken his mouth in a kiss.

He didn't do anything for a full five seconds, then he jerked his head back. Furious, he exclaimed, "Stop _molesting _me, do you think I'm some easy-"

Sasuke did it again, kissing Naruto and refusing to let him speak.

Naruto neither responded nor fought, slowly feeling himself succumb to the explosion of feelings rushing through him. Why...why couldn't he just push him away? He shouldn't want this, but it felt so good...being with Sasuke felt so good...

He couldn't hold back anymore. He closed his eyes and kissed softly back. What did it matter? It was Sasuke…

He opened his mouth almost impulsively and Sasuke instantly entered with his tongue, their lips connected in a frantic lock as finally, they found the responsiveness that they desired. Naruto moved his arms desperately around Sasuke's neck and before they knew it, they were all over eachother. Sasuke lay almost completely on Naruto as he continued his ministrations, drawing satisfaction from all aspects of the blonde below him.

Naruto unwillingly let out a groan as Sasuke's travelling lips found their way to his neck and lay kisses on the skin there. Naruto found that the position he was in, trapped beneath Sasuke, actually gave him a sense of safety. Sasuke was passionate, he wanted this and he could tell Naruto did too. They pressed their lips so hard against the other that in their blind haste, bruising was sure to appear.

Sasuke pulled away for air, panting. "Don't tell me that you don't feel the same way after that. I know you do."

Naruto was panting too as he looked up into the sincere, onyx eyes. They flickered from beneath delicate eyelashes, and in that obsidian gaze he could see endless emotions like some dark void. Looking into those eyes...it felt like he was looking into Sasuke's mind.

He couldn't understand the Uchiha. His actions confused him to no end, and he just seemed so complicated. His temper was volatile, and sometimes he was just a jerk. But other times, he was sympathetic and sentimental, and sometimes...sometimes, he made Naruto's heart flutter, just like he was doing now. When he'd first seen those eyes they'd been suspicious and cold. Never would he have believed that he'd see them like this.

'_I think he's telling the truth,'_ he thought,_ 'but…' _He just couldn't throw off that strange feeling of distrust. It felt so unfamiliar but it was there, bubbling in his consciousness and threatening to turn him away.

Sasuke anxiously scanned Naruto's eyes for an answer.

'_When I'm with him__ I'm happy. When he told me he loved me, I wanted to believe it. But… what if he hurts me?... _

_Ridiculous. Why would Sasuke hurt me? He would never, and I'd forgive him if he does because…_

_I love him so much__.' _

Sasuke seemed to be withdrawn. He began to pull back from Naruto, accepting defeat.

One, fluid movement. Naruto moved his head up just like Sasuke had done that morning, and kissed him chastely on the lips. He moved back almost instantly, unsure. It was now Sasuke whose eyes were wide.

Click.

They froze.

Click.

There was a key turning in the lock!

Both boys scrambled to their feet and when the door opened there was a good 10 meters between them. A good 10 meters, and the mess the room was in.

Kakashi and the other teachers stood stilly in the doorway. Behind them, Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji, Chouji and Lee peered curiously into the room. Kakashi looked at the bruises on the two panting teens, the utter state of the room, and he smiled eerily.

"Well, well. I think a room change is in order."

--_An Hour Later--_

Naruto sighed heavily as he looked around his new room and at his new roommate. _'This is all Sasuke's fault_,' he thought dourly. Although, he supposed it could've been worse. At least he was with someone he knew. Sasuke on the other hand, would be alone in the room they'd previously been sharing after the mess got cleaned up.

Naruto was feeling extremely sleepy now. He changed into his silk, orange pajamas and tried to enter a doze but unfortunately, it seemed sleep would not come.

He darted a glance at where Gaara was sitting cross-legged on the bed across the room with his eyes closed. _'Is he sleeping like that?' _he thought in disbelief. He slipped off his sheets and tip-toed over to peer closely at Gaara's face. Not too close though. Gaara seemed to be friendly enough when he wanted to be, but other times…

_'I wonder what we used to be like in the past...' _

Naruto smiled sadly. It hurt him to think that there had been a lot in his past involving this person, but he didn't know what.

"What is it?"

"GAH!"

Gaara looked in amusement at Naruto who now sat on his butt on the ground. Naruto scowled and climbed to his feet. "What's with sleeping like that?" he said in annoyance.

"I wasn't sleeping," Gaara said.

Naruto grumbled a bit and threw himself back under the covers of his own bed. "Night," he said, and he flicked the lamp switch, throwing the room into darkness.

"Goodnight."

--_Next Morning—_

Sasuke's head jerked and he looked blearily at where the knocking noise was coming from. The door?

_'Naruto?'_

He painstakingly dragged his sleep deprived body from the bed and to the door. _'It's only 5:30, what the hell…' _He pulled it open eagerly and expected to see a mop of blonde hair. He was instead met with a narrowed, jade gaze.

"Gaara," he said tonelessly. He knew that Naruto was now staying in the same room as this person and that fact did not make him any the happier to see the red head. On the contrary, it made him want to send him somewhere where he'd never have to see him again.

"What do you want?"

Gaara slid uninvited past Sasuke into the room. His eyes paused for a moment on the dents in the walls before they returned to Sasuke. Sasuke closed the door. If a fight was what he was after, he'd be glad to hand his ass to him. As if reading his mind, Gaara gave a small snigger and said "I'm not here to fight with you, Uchiha. I wouldn't want to spend anymore time with you than I have to. I'm here to talk about Naruto."

Sasuke stared at Gaara. About Naruto? _'Why would he come here to talk about Naruto? They barely know each other.' _

"Before I do though," Gaara said, "I want to know what you think about him."

Sasuke snarled. "That has nothing to do with you."

Gaara coolly inspected a nail and said, "It has a lot more to do with me than you think."

"You like Naruto," Sasuke said. It was a statement.

Gaara gave Sasuke a death glare and tensed. "I do. But I am also his friend and I won't make him unhappy. I promised him after all…"

'_Since when were they close enough to make promises?!'_ Sasuke thought furiously. "I love Naruto," he said coldly. He felt slightly unnerved as he watched Gaara's thin lips split into a creepy smile.

"I thought it'd be harder than that," Gaara said. "Apparently not. Now all I have to know is…are you serious?"

Sasuke took an angry step forwards. His reserve for this person was almost gone. "What gives you the right to ask me this?"

Gaara didn't look at him and withdrew from his pocket a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. He pulled one out and lit it while Sasuke watched warily. His eyes flickered to his bag above the heater, judging the distance between him and his knife.

"Did you ever wonder about Naruto's past?"

Sasuke forgot about the knife and looked distractedly at Gaara. "What?"

"Aren't you interested? Haven't you ever wondered…? You tried hacking into his file didn't you, and nothing came up."

"How do you know about that?"

Gaara ignored this question and continued talking. "There is a lot about him you will never begin to guess. I know-"

"You don't even know Naruto that well-"

At this point Gaara let out a derisive laugh. His eyes rolled somewhat and the cigarette in his hand waved around the air, letting smoke choke the room. "_I _don't know Naruto? I'm his best friend," he said bitterly.

'_He's babbling,' _Sasuke thought.

A hand shot forwards and grabbed his shirt, pulling him forwards so close to Gaara's face that he could smell the smoke. Gaara was completely somber again. "You better be serious about Naruto, Uchiha," he whispered. "You'll kill him…"

"I'd never hurt Naruto," Sasuke replied coldly.

"You already have." Gaara relinquished his grip on Sasuke. "You're already hurting him. When he's with you he's confused, but when he's away from you he's in pain." Sasuke gave Gaara a questioning look hidden beneath a cold gaze and he continued.

"Do you know what he was moaning about in his sleep last night...? It was your name Sasuke, but he was scared. I tried to wake him up but he wouldn't. His head was covered with sweat and he was feverish." Gaara's face was so close to Sasuke's that with his next whisper, smoke blew across his face."He's starting to accept people again and you're his last gamble. If you betray him, if you _dare_ to hurt him…then he'll disappear again."

"...Again?"

"Yes, Uchiha. Again." Gaara made sure Sasuke couldn't avoid his gaze. The green eyes were pale, eyeing him like a snake eyes it's prey. "If you make him go through that hell again, then I'll _kill you_."

The threat hung in the air.

"Why do you know so much about Naruto…?" Sasuke said. "What happened to him?"

_'Why is there so much about him I don't know?'_

Gaara withdrew away from him. "I was his best friend," he said quietly. "But things have changed now, and the past is no longer important. Only the future."

"What happened to Naruto?" Sasuke repeated lowly. He wanted answers.

"…Why don't you ask your brother...?"

"Itachi?"

Gaara snarled. "I couldn't find him, else he'd be _dead_." He strode to the door and slammed it behind him before Sasuke could make a move.

'_But…didn't Naruto say he doesn't know the Akatsuki?'_

* * *

Naruto shuddered. He'd shed all his blankets but it still felt so _hot._

'_It's so HOT__…'_, he thought dazedly. He pulled his sluggish self up and noted that Gaara wasn't in the room. By the light of the sun shining on it's glass surface, the clock told Naruto it was now 6:00. He sighed and ruffled his sweaty hair. He felt sticky, and more than anything wanted to ease his cramped and burning muscles.

'_There's a pool here…maybe that will help.'_

With ungraceful, jerky movements Naruto dragged himself to the door, still in his pajamas and night things. He wasn't thinking clearly and his one task right now was to get to that pool. He left the room and walked down several corridors, hazily wondering where it was.

'_I know it's around here somewhere.'_

He stumbled down a grand staircase, reaching a beautiful, underground, tiled room where light rippled gently off the walls. Around a great basin of water that was the only light source, statues stood half hidden in darkness. The pool was lit from beneath and the water glowed with an ethereal quality... The gentle swishing noises of water against the edge were the only sounds, and it calmed Naruto.

He was the only one here.

He walked to the edge of the water and let the soft, blue glow bathe his body. The water was so tempting…

He fumbled with the button of his pajama top for awhile and growled in frustration when his numb fingers refused to undo them. _'Who cares. I'll just go in like this.'_

He sat on the edge of the pool and slipped his legs in. His orange pants billowed around them before collapsing and sticking to his skin as the air escaped. He allowed himself to slip completely into the water.

The water reached up to his neck. Cold, invigorating water. He sighed in contentedness, closed his eyes and leant back against the tiled edge of the pool. He saw Sasuke in his mind.

'_Teme…everything seems to be about him now. I can't stop thinking about him.'_

He smiled at the raven hair, the black, mysterious eyes, skin like alabaster and that cool, supreme presence.

'_He looks just like some Greek God probably would,'_ he thought hazily, remembering the statues that were around the pool.

The water against his skin felt so comfortable. He slid further down the edge and bent his neck back, mouth opened slightly. His hair floated wispily in the cool, flowing water…

He went completely below the surface, the concept of air being necessary slipping from his mind. Below, it felt even more comfortable. He could no longer hear anything at all, no more worries pressing in on him…

His chest hurt…

"NARUTO!"

The water was gone. He coughed up some from his lungs and he opened his eyes to see a furious, dark pair of eyes floating above him.

"You idiot!" Sasuke yelled at him. "If you have a fever you shouldn't be running around!" Sasuke was wet too because he'd jumped in to retrieve Naruto. Now the two of them were out of the pool and at it's edge.

Naruto laughed and tried to say "I wasn't running around, I was swimming," but his voice hadn't returned just yet. Sasuke took this chance to continue yelling at him. "Damm dobe, you worried me shitless, floating there like you were…are you listening to me?!"

Naruto sat up and wrapped his arms around a blushing Sasuke. "Sa-su-ke," he slurred. He shivered, feeling cold now. Sasuke realized that the both of them were going to get sick – or sicker- if they didn't quickly get warm.

"Come on dobe," he muttered. "We better go get changed."

He put one of Naruto's arms around his neck and lifted him almost completely onto his back. As quickly as he could while carrying a blabbering blonde, he made his way back to his room.

Inside, he put Naruto down on the other bed.

He then faced a pressing problem. How was he supposed to get Naruto warm? As appealing as it was, he didn't want to strip the blonde without him knowing. In his current state Naruto probably wouldn't realize it if he walked off the roof of a building. He ran a hand across the wet, golden locks plastered to Naruto's forehead, thinking about how he could work his way around this. A bright idea suddenly arose to him.

He walked into the adjoining bathroom and fiddled with the knobs, letting hot water spout out. The bath took awhile to fill, being a huge tub complete with spa. When it was finally to the brim with steamy water, Sasuke turned the taps off and went back into the other room. He couldn't help but smile at the boy curled up on the sheets, sleeping peacefully like an angel.

Lifting him up in his arms, Sasuke carried the sleeping Naruto to the bath and gently lowered him in. The moment he entered the water though, Naruto awoke and instantly put his arms around Sasuke's neck. Caught off balance, Sasuke felt himself tilt…

_SPLASH._

Water sloshed over the edges of the bath and a rather grumpy Sasuke sat in the tub with Naruto in his lap. In any other circumstances Sasuke would've quite enjoyed the position they were in. Unfortunately, right now he was more concerned with making sure the blonde didn't die of hypothermia.

Naruto blinked in surprise and looked at him. "Sasuke?"

"Better?" Sasuke grumbled. He'd had to twist them around as they fell to make sure Naruto didn't hit himself, the result being him earning a bruise on his back.

Naruto giggled childishly and kissed Sasuke full on the lips. He laughed again. Sasuke touched a finger to his lips where Naruto's had been and looked at the blonde uncertainly. "Naruto?"

Naruto moved closer to Sasuke and was almost snuggled in his chest. "Sasuke…" He attempted to kiss the raven again. To the blonde's disappointment Sasuke moved his head back. "You're not thinking clearly," Sasuke said dejectedly.

Naruto pouted, and pushed Sasuke backwards into the water. His unnaturally bright eyes beamed at the Uchiha. "Sasuke, do you love me?" he asked.

Sasuke looked at the smiling face and the brilliant blue eyes. "I already told you that I love you," he sighed, "but-"

Naruto put his hand over Sasuke's mouth, and smiled again. "Then I love you too."

"Naruto... You've got a really bad fever…"

"No, I know what I'm saying!" Naruto threw his arms around Sasuke and held on tightly. "I'm not letting go, you can't make me! If you do then I'll...I'll…"

Gaara's voice entered Sasuke's mind and sent chilly vibes down his body. '_You'll kill him…'_

He pulled Naruto closer to him.

No one could take Naruto from him, no one could hurt him. He pressed his lips to Naruto's forehead, leaving them there for a moment. Naruto's eyes were lidded as he desperately tried to fight back his exhaustion. He lost and fell into a peaceful sleep in Sasuke's embrace.

Sasuke smiled as he held his precious burden close to him. "I won't let you go dobe. Don't worry."

* * *

Hope you enjoy, and review!

Next Chapter- What do Konoha kids do on a camp? Get drunk, rave, party...list goes on!


	14. Crave For Blood

" "- talking

' '_- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Fourteen—**_

_**--Crave for Blood—**_

Naruto sneezed and awoke. A soft splashing of water reached his ears as he shifted his body, and his hand brushed through water across a smooth surface. The water was cold, but there was something warm around and beneath him…something warm and breathing.

Confused, he turned his head around and came face to face with a well toned chest visible through a wet, white shirt.

He stared for a moment. A soft chuckle made him look up and he raised his head to dark, onyx eyes, thin mocking lips and raven black hair. His heart jumped.

"Like what you see?" Sasuke asked teasingly.

Naruto's mouth hung open. Then he floundered around in Sasuke's lap, splashing water everywhere.

"Ouch! Stop- squirming!- "

"Teme! Let me out!"

"Stop moving!"

"I'm cold!"

Sasuke grinned. "Is that all?" He wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and pulled him close. "Better?"

"Pervert! Molester! Let me go!" Naruto squirmed a little more. It did feel very comfortable though…Sasuke's arms were strong, he was warm, and –

'_AND, he's holding me!'_

"Do you remember what you said last night?" Sasuke asked him.

Naruto stopped moving and frowned. Last night?

…"_I love you, but-"_

…"_Then I love you too"…_

Naruto flushed so much that the pink reached his ears and Sasuke chuckled again. "Remember now huh?"

"…_I won't let you go…"_

Naruto looked away from Sasuke and down at the water instead. "Sasuke…"

"Hmm?"

"Did you mean it?"

"What do you think I've been telling you for the past day and night?" Sasuke said.

Naruto made a small non committal sound, blonde bangs covering the blue eyes Sasuke loved.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you be my boyfriend?"

Naruto looked up in shock and Sasuke locked eyes with him, trying to prove his sincerity. Naruto stared at him in disbelief. His…boyfriend?

He wanted to say yes but he remembered…remembered who Sasuke was, and who he was...

"What will everyone say? And Sakura-" he began sadly.

Sasuke growled and tightened his embrace, effectively stopping the blonde from talking. Right. Sasuke's arms were still around him and he'd snuggled right up.

"They can say whatever they want. I didn't care before and I won't care now." He tilted Naruto's chin up. "Naruto, please…"

Naruto began to smile and nodded his head. He uncertainly moved himself around so he was completely facing Sasuke, making it easier for Sasuke's arms. His eyes sparkled with so many shades of blue that Sasuke was left breathless.

Naruto began fidgeting. "Umm…"

"What is it?"

"Does that mean…can we…?" Naruto blushed.

Sasuke looked at him in confusion before he realized what he wanted. He kissed Naruto on the nose and laughed at how naïve the blonde was. "We're together now, we can kiss whenever we want," he said.

"It didn't stop you before," Naruto pointed out.

"I'm the seme. It's normal for me."

"What?! I'm not gonna be the uke!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, putting aside the fact that Naruto even knew what an uke was. Naruto was pouting adorably, complete with puppy dog eyes. "Yes you are."

"I'm not the one with UKE in my name, Sas-U-KE."

"I'm older, taller, handsomer, stronger, and more _manly,_" Sasuke smirked. A bout of cold water got him in the face.

"You've got a bigger head too, teme!"

* * *

"Naruto, is that Sasuke's _shirt_?" Kiba sniffed the oversized black shirt Naruto was wearing as though he'd be able to smell Sasuke's scent on it. "It's 2 times your size!"

'_Why does Sasuke's wardrobe have to be all dark colors,'_ Naruto thought sarcastically. Honestly…was he trying to prove just how emo you could get?

"Forget the shirt," Shikamaru smirked. "The pants look familiar too."

Lee exclaimed, "Does that mean that Naruto's also wearing Sasuke's-"

"NO!" Naruto looked pleadingly at Sasuke for help.

Although Sasuke was relishing in the fact that Naruto was now his boyfriend and wanted to make that known to everyone, he took pity on the kitsune and help came in the form of a glare that silenced the others. Truthfully though, Naruto had in fact only borrowed a shirt and pants and had taken the discretion to change in the bedroom out of sight of Sasuke.

"They're kinda right though," Naruto said, and he pulled at the shirt to demonstrate his point. It reached almost to his knees. "I can't go walking around in this. I'll go get changed." With that he dashed up the stairs.

'_He acts like a girl,'_ everyone thought.

"So Sasuke," Kiba said playfully. "What did you and Naruto get up to?"

"Nothing," Sasuke growled.

Neji didn't say anything on the matter. He hadn't said anything all morning.

A few more minutes passed and the only sound was Chouji's chewing noises.

Something then recklessly threw itself from the staircase railing and onto Sasuke's back. Sasuke landed flat on his front but he didn't stay there for long. He got back up and Naruto had somehow been transferred into his arms.

The others sniggered at the blonde being held bridal style in Sasuke's arms. Even Sasuke couldn't suppress a grin. Pouting, Naruto struggled his way back into a standing position, revealing his choice of clothes.

To say Naruto looked hot was an understatement. He was one, fine dobe. A tight, V-neck shirt matched his baggy jeans, accentuating his slim waist but hiding his slender legs. Sasuke found him nothing short of _delectable_.

Naruto raised a fist into the air and shouted in true, idiot style, "What are we waiting for! We've been here for a day, and we haven't done _anything_! Let's trash this place!"

'_I wouldn't say nothing,'_ Sasuke thought slyly.

Kiba slinked an arm over Naruto's shoulder and shouted in agreement. "Let's get drunk!" Before anyone could stop them, the two had sauntered out the door and began heading down the road.

'_That damn mutt.'_

The lodges were in a coastal, central district. They were within walking distance of a line of beaches as well as several cafes and centers. Naruto talked and laughed with all the locals, and got along with them as though he'd lived there all his life.

They hung around on the shores for a little while but it was too cold to swim so they threw around sand. They discovered that having it in their clothes was not comfortable.

Lunch at a nearby café insinuated the presence of sugar. Sasuke would learn that when Naruto was fed food containing sugar– namely ice–cream – he would enter a rather interesting mood, and he filed this information away for later.

"Sasuke! Try some of my ice-cream!" Naruto flourished the huge chocolate lump in front of Sasuke.

"No."

"Come on!" Naruto coaxed. "It's _sweet_!"

"That's exactly why I _don't_ want to try it." Sasuke turned away.

"Sasuke, you're so mean!" Kiba teased.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the Uchiha. A devilish grin spread across his face. He pulled himself up and sat on Sasuke's lap, looking him directly in the eyes.

"What the-"

Naruto licked Sasuke's lips before he covered them and forced his tongue into Sasuke's mouth. Sasuke replied instantly. He forgot about the others and wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist, while their friends looked discreetly away. To some surprise, Sasuke found no resistance. Naruto tasted…sweet. Deliciously so…

Naruto grinned and pulled back. "Like that?"

Sasuke nodded.

Naruto smiled gleefully and forced the ice cream cone into Sasuke's hand. "Here you go!"

"…"

Sometime later after Sasuke had reluctantly eaten the cone, Kiba pointed to a notice. It was about a rave party that was going to be on at a club in the city. "We're underage," Naruto reminded. In reply, Sasuke pointed to the small print at the bottom.

"Anyone can go," he said, "but alcohol's only for people with ids." He smirked.

The club was on the other side of the town, so they had to catch a cab. By the time they got there the sky was already dark and there were crowds of people milling around the entrance.

As Naruto, Sasuke and Neji got out of the cab that they had been sharing, squeals and wolf whistles screeched from several people. Naruto blushed but Sasuke ignored them and pulled him by the hand through everyone to the front.

The man at the door scowled and said, "Line up like everyone el-" His eyes widened as Sasuke withdrew several large notes from his wallet and waved them around temptingly.

"Sasuke," Naruto hissed as they entered. The man at the door behind them began counting his money. "You can't use money for everything!"

"Ahh, but I can use it for many things."

"…Spoilt bastard," Naruto said. Sasuke pulled him by the waist and twirled him around as they entered the flashing room.

"Can this spoilt bastard treat you to a drink?" he breathed huskily onto Naruto's neck. Naruto glowered and pushed himself back.

"We're UNDERAGE!" he exclaimed. "Hey, where'd Neji go?"

They looked around and indeed, Neji had disappeared into the throng of people. "He must've gone to look for the others," Naruto said anxiously. Sasuke grinned. Naruto looked so _worried_.

"Gives us more time alone," Sasuke said slyly.

"You know you're a pervert right?"

"Only when it's you." He nipped lightly on the lobe of Naruto's ear, drawing a gasp from the blonde.

Naruto blushed furiously and looked around frantically. "Not here!" he said. He began moving uncomfortably.

Sasuke noticed. _'He still must be wary,'_ he thought. It troubled him, but he'd wait until Naruto was ready. He wanted to prove that he could be trusted.

He sighed and contented himself to slinking one arm onto Naruto's shoulder. "Fine. You owe me a few drinks."

"WHAT?!"

* * *

Neji hadn't gone to look for the others. He'd gone to drown himself in spirits and alcohol. A few hundred dollars had wrapped up the waiter and he was now on his fifth. He coughed as the burning liquid went down his throat and his eyes began to water from the strength. He was called a prodigy, but what use was that when he couldn't even get what he wanted?

'_That prick…he always gets everything. Even though both of us…"_

A flash of red sat down next to him and he turned. He narrowed his eyes over his glass.

"Didn't expect to see you here, Hyuuga," Gaara said uncaringly. He inhaled deeply on his cigarette and breathed the smoke out through his teeth. He lifted a finger and the waiter placed a beer in front of him. Neji remained looking at him.

"Am I correct in assuming then," Gaara said softly, "that Naruto and Sasuke are also here?"

Pale eyes glared as Neji was reminded of the couple and he nodded his head grumpily. He took another swig, not noticing that Gaara's eyes had swiftly flicked around the crowd when he'd nodded.

"Why are you so upset?" Gaara asked in amusement. He too, took a swig. Neji caught a glimpse of his eyes as he lifted his head – jaded green, angry…

He snorted as he lowered his flask back onto the table. "You're upset about something too."

Gaara didn't say anything but Neji knew that he had heard. He chuckled. "Naruto's very _interesting _isn't he?" He smirked on the inside as Gaara instantly tensed. The red head was an interesting one too…

"What do you know about Naruto?" Gaara said lowly and dangerously.

The tone in Gaara's voice should have been enough to make Neji stop. Unfortunately, the Hyuuga was in a drunken stupor and his next word came out clearly enough for Gaara to hear, even over the music and noise in the background.

"_Kyuubi…"_

Gaara's blood seemed to freeze.

He watched as Neji began laughing and keeled over the counter. His entire body tensed.

'_How?'_

He stood up and roughly grabbed the Hyuuga chuckling madly on the edge of the counter. He ignored everyone else and pulled him through the crowd towards the exits. Long, black silky hair flowed over his hands. People parted for them, fearful of a possible brawl.

'_You'__ll have to go too,'_ Gaara thought coldly. He didn't want to kill this person, there was no personal grudge. But if he was going to endanger Naruto, then that was a different story…

Outside, he crossed the road, still pulling Neji along with him. Suspicious glances from people outside the club were parried away as they laid eyes on Gaara's. At the other side between two buildings he shoved Neji down on the ground next to some trash cans. He reached into his pocket.

'_Sorry,'_ he thought as he withdrew a small knife. He leant down next to Neji. He hesitated for a moment as he looked upon him. Neji's eyes were closed…he was defenseless…

It was so simple. A quick painless cut, and this threat would be gone.

He was shocked when the lips parted and a calm voice issued.

"So…you _are_ from the Jinchuuriki."

Gaara froze. His eyes widened, and he leapt backwards as Neji's eyes suddenly shot open and he began to stand up. A smirk played across Neji's lips and his eyes were focused intently on Gaara. He was as somber as anyone.

'_He was feigning it!' _Gaara realized. He growled lowly and bared his teeth.

Neji wiped the bitter taste of alcohol from his mouth. "You've confirmed my suspicions," he said casually. He locked eyes with Gaara, daring him to deny it. "Naruto is Kyuubi."

The night air was cold. Wind whistled through the empty alley behind them and both teens had their own, unsettling thoughts. Gaara could feel his heart thudding at dangerous speeds.

"How did you figure it out?" he spat.

Neji cast a distasteful look back at the club. "I may not have been able to open Naruto's file," he said softly. "But _your_ one was not so protected."

Gaara cursed himself. _'__**I **__made him suspect!'_

Neji smiled sadistically at the expression on Gaara's face, knowing that the other boy was a breath away from attacking him. He took a step towards the danger, and ran a finger daringly across Gaara's face.

"You're pretty cute," he whispered. "You know that?"

Gaara instantly flared up and kneed Neji in the stomach. He sent a punch straight after, winding the Hyuuga. The hand with the knife was suddenly poised near Neji's neck.

"I should kill you," Gaara said tonelessly.

"I know you won't."

"Don't be so cocky!" Gaara snarled. His eyes flashed.

Neji coughed. "Imagine what will happen if I am killed? Do you think the others will let it go lightly…?"

Gaara's lips smiled cruelly. "They will never know it was me." He pressed the knife onto Neji's skin.

Neji whispered something.

Gaara frowned.

Neji said it again, his voice somewhat regretful. "Naruto…will react to my death." He didn't mean that Naruto would be devastated. He didn't know if he would. "You don't want Naruto to remember. Right?" he said bitterly. He felt so low- he was using Naruto to save himself.

But it seemed to have worked. Gaara began to step slowly back and Neji got back up, using the brick wall behind him for support. His hand began bleeding as it brushed on the rough surface but he ignored it and watched the other teen. Both of them stayed like that for a long time.

A soft patter broke the silence and Neji's eyes widened. Was Gaara…crying?

He was. A tear flowed slowly down Gaara's cheek to fall onto the ground. Neji recoiled. He looked so _broken_. He heard gravel crunch and saw Gaara walking away.

* * *

Naruto should have realized Sasuke would bribe the person at the counter, and that he'd soon be drenched in alcohol. He should've realized it from the moment Sasuke had smirked in front of the notice.

The damm alcoholic.

The both of them sat at tall swivel chairs at the counter with a supply of drinks in front of them. Sasuke saw the disapproving look on Naruto's face and felt a slight twinge of guilt. "Naruto, you're always telling everyone to lighten up. You should take your own advice."

"I am not an _alcoholic._"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "And that's why you can drink sake so well."

Naruto had nothing to say to this so he turned away from the counter to watch all the people raving. He leant back on his elbows on the counter, his foot jigging in time to the beat of the music. The only lighting was from faint, fluorescent lights on the walls and from the lasers. The crowd was _huge_, moving as though it itself was a living thing. Naruto perked up as he caught sight of a group of people glow sticking.

He looked mournfully, wishing he could join in.

A hand suddenly caressed him. He jumped, but it remained there on his ass.

"Sasuke," he said dangerously. "Get your hand off my ass." He looked at the Uchiha.

Sasuke looked at him in confusion. One of his hands was clutching his drink, the other arm was leaning on the counter. Then…who was…

"GAH!" He swiveled and kicked whoever it was that was on his left. His foot connected and the person was knocked to the ground. Naruto glowered furiously down at them.

Unfazed, the person got back to his feet and smiled disconcertingly at Naruto. Naruto was astonished to find himself looking at a warped version of Sasuke. The boy was no older than they were, and his hair was the exact same raven black as Sasuke's.

The person attempted a warm smile that came out more of a sly grin and spoke as though nothing had happened. "Nice to meet you," he said. He smiled waywardly again. "I'm Sai." Naruto looked warily at him.

Seeing that Naruto wasn't doing anything, Sai daringly stepped forward and put a hand on the blonde's thigh. He leant near Naruto's neck. Naruto shuddered and recoiled as hot breath fluttered across his skin. It was there again…a repulsed feeling from being touched by anyone other than Sasuke. "Hey…" Sai whispered, "You're _cute_." His hand squeezed on Naruto's leg. "How about going out with me?"

The next thing both of them knew, Sasuke had roughly pulled them apart and put Naruto in front of him. He wrapped an arm around Naruto's neck and put his head on the blonde's shoulder. "You were saying?" he uttered maliciously to Sai. Naruto smiled slightly and leant back onto the alcohol smelling Uchiha.

Sai's eyes hardened. He inclined his head in anger and disappeared into the party-goers. Sasuke snorted when he left and pulled Naruto into his embrace again. "No one touches what is mine…" he mumbled in Naruto's neck. Naruto blushed.

'_This feels better,'_ he thought, feeling soothed by the Uchiha's touch.

A new song suddenly came on and replaced the slow slur of before. Naruto straightened. Fast paced techno reached their ears, and he grabbed Sasuke's wrist. "Lets go!" he said excitedly. Sasuke's eyes widened. He couldn't be wanting to…no…

A hard tug and he was pulled to the middle of the dancing ground. The crowd stood back for them and Sasuke felt himself burning. What was he supposed to do?!

"Do you even know how to dance dobe?!" he hissed.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. As the chorus of the song came on he took a step forwards and placed his hands around Sasuke's neck. Sasuke rolled his eyes. This was so _not_ a ballroom song. His eyes flashed open as he felt a very arousing movement…Naruto's hands were slowly moving down his chest…

Naruto whispered seductively into Sasuke's ear. "Do you like dirty dancing, Mr Uchiha?" He felt Naruto's hand waver gently over his crotch, before the blonde began moving his whole body downwards...

'_Damm…Naruto…!'_

The crowd around them cheered on wildly as one of Naruto's hands snaked behind Sasuke's back and went down to rest just above his waist. Naruto had straightened back up and began moving his hips, sideways at first before he began slowly grinding against Sasuke. A grin laced the blonde's features.

Oh, this was _his _game.

As the music struck up to a staccato, Naruto moved back and fluidly twisted his body. His hand slipped from Sasuke's cheek and he winked.

'_Don't you dare…'_

Naruto pulled Sasuke forwards and took Sasuke's hands in his own. He was still moving his body and hips as he put Sasuke's hands on his waist before slowly helping them move down his own body…Naruto licked his lips, unknowing of the effect it would have on the Uchiha.

Sasuke growled and pulled. He wrapped his arm around Naruto's slender form possesively and ground back against the blonde, who grinned in delight and pulled back, teasing him…

Naruto lifted his arms and moved them in sync with the music, almost inclining Sasuke to go to him. He was dancing quicker now and with more jerkier movements. He jerked forwards when the chorus came again and both of them were moving together, against each other, hands roaming…

It would've been romantic, had it not been for the music and screaming crowd.

The DJ finished on a single loud note and in that instance Naruto pulled away. He chuckled, his face pink from the dancing. Sasuke could tell that he was probably as flustered, if not more.

'_I hope none of the others saw that,' _he thought grimly. He'd never hear the end of it..._he_ was suppose to be in control. Unfortunately, he caught a madly grinning face next to three other skeptical ones in the audience.

Kiba had stayed true to his word and was as drunk as a dog. Chouji and Lee were suppressing their own grins, while Shikamaru was looking smug. Naruto and Sasuke went over to them and Sasuke felt, if possible, his face heating up more.

"Naruto, that was some..._nice_ dancing," Shikamaru sniggered. He made sure to make eye contact with Sasuke as he said this.

Kiba howled with laughter the whole while as they were walking towards the exit. Sasuke would've hit him, but he had dignity to preserve.

They found Neji already outside. The Hyuuga regarded them with a callous look then walked in step next to them. He avoided facing them.

'_What's up with him?'_

Naruto yawned widely and mumbled.

"Let's go back now."

Shikamaru checked his watch and agreed. "Lights out is in an hour. And Naruto has to get back to his own room before that." Sasuke tensed. Naruto had to go back to _Gaara_. Naruto noticed his reaction and nudged him. Sasuke forced a calm expression back on his face and looked around for a cab.

There were none, and he felt annoyed. What kind of a club didn't have cabs out the front?

"I don't see any on the other street either," Chouji said as he came around the corner. He'd gone to check the other side.

"How about going for a ride with us?"

The seven of them turned around simultaneously to the voice. It was familiar. Naruto felt a moment of fear as he saw Sai at the forefront of a large group of people. The others looked at each other before they turned fixed looks on Sai.

"What do you want?" Sasuke said calmly.

Sai shrugged his shoulders. "Not much." He pointed at Naruto. "If the blonde will come with us, then this doesn't have to get ugly."

Sasuke snarled and the others had to pull him back. Naruto felt a twinge in his mind at the reaction.

_Flashback_

"_What did you say?!"_

"_Hey, Yugito, calm down!"_

_The girl ignored him and in all rage unleashed, began kicking the shit out of the two idiots that had dared to hit on her._

_Several hands pulled her back. Naruto sighed. Yugito had some serious temper problems…_

_End Flashback_

Naruto gasped and swayed on the spot. Sasuke instantly was next to him and held him tightly. He looked in concern at his face and said "Don't worry. This'll be over in a few minutes."

Sai sneered. "That's right. It will, and _he_ will be coming with us by the end of it."

"I don't have to follow you anywhere!" Naruto said angrily. He got out of Sasuke's arms.

Sai pulled out a red cloth and tied it around his wrist before lifting his head and glaring at Sasuke. That sign- he was from _Root._

One of the gangs allied with Akatsuki.

Sasuke felt his rage intensify and he pulled out his knife. The others did too and Shikamaru handed a small dagger handle first to Naruto. For self defense.

Naruto looked down at it. The iron backed steel was balanced perfectly in the palm of his hand. He hesitated, then twirled it between his fingers. The action was instinctive and he caught it by the point as it came back down between his fingers. He'd made a slight miscalculation though...the point cut slightly into his fingertip and blood began welling.

His eyes widened.

Sasuke held his knife in front of his face and grinned. He hadn't done this for a long time…since he'd met Naruto in fact. His eyes fell on the Sai bastard. He'd take him down first.

It started when a small flying knife went whizzing past Sasuke's left ear. He dodged it and rushed forwards and _Root_ did too. He imbedded his knife in an arm and pushed it's owner away, dislodging his knife. He should have brought more weapons, but since he hadn't he couldn't lose this one.

Naruto tried to help Sasuke but was held back by Neji. "What?!"

"You'll only hinder him."

Naruto felt anger at himself. _'I can't help him…why?!'_

He flinched as the first body fell. He couldn't tell if the man was alive, but blood was running in a wave down his arm.

_Drip._

_The dripping of blood was piercing in the quiet room. It echoed off the walls, the blood spread in a steady puddle across the wooden floorboards. Naruto panted and staggered slowly towards the motionless figures on the ground._

'_Please... be alright,' he thought desperately as he reached them_

_Drip…_

…_Drip…_

…_Drip…_

He swayed again but this time no one noticed. The fight was serious and the dozen enemies still left were not weakening quick enough. Sai was still there, fighting one on one with Sasuke. Naruto gritted his teeth. _'I have to help. I can't just watch! I need to help Sasuke…'_

A headache was coming. He could feel it surely and certainly but he ran forwards, ignoringNeji's cry. He dodged the knives and fists with an uncanny, practised ease.

"_Naruto. Do you know what the best weapon is?"_

_Naruto smiled cheekily. "Why, on you? A pretty oneechan!" _

_Jiraiya growled at the small boy. Eight and already cocky…_

"_No." He handed Naruto a knife._

_Naruto looked skeptically down at it, then back up at the white haired man. "But ero-sennin, a knife is used for __**cooking**__."_

_Jiraiya growled. "The knife is not the best weapon. It's what you do with it. Right now, it's nothing more than a useless piece of metal."_

_Naruto stared at him. _

Naruto winced but kept on running. _'Now I'm having weird visions about Ero-Sennin.'_

He looked at Sasuke and Sai again. Sasuke had swiped at Sai's hand and made him drop his knife in pain. He held his bleeding hand to his chest while his other hand reached into his pocket.

Naruto frowned, then his eyes widened as he saw an unmistakable form be pulled from the pocket. With a quick 'click' Sai pulled the safety trigger on his gun. He aimed it at Sasuke, who began to lift his knife…

Naruto ran forwards. _'THAT'S A GUN!' _his mind screamed.

'_That's Sasuke.'_

He pulled himself in front of the startled Uchiha and pushed him back away from the line of fire.

_The barrel of a gun was on __the back of his head. Naruto breathed heavily and cursed, not daring to move. He couldn't see his attacker- they'd been crept up on and now he was facing Gaara. He could see Gaara's capturer though- Deidera..._

'_What's happening to me?!_' he thought faintly.

A trigger was pulled.

* * *

Review!!

No preview for you! Can't without giving half of the next chapter away! Hint- You will discover something. I, the guru, says so.

By the way, I want to edit a song into the rave bit. Anyone got suggestions? I feel it's too short. I'll dedicate the song and give credits to the person in the next chapter who's song I use.


	15. Dark Side Of The Moon

My plans to edit the rave scene have been postponed for now, but so far thanks go to the following people for suggestions for songs: Shu Puff, Gothicangle, Noelani Aiko, Ellwing, Cluelessninja65, Jinxblog (sry if i forgot someone!) Also, thanks to Nezitsuki for letting me know that I had anonymous reviews turned off.

Enjoy the chapter.

" " – talking

' ' – _thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Fifteen—**_

_**--Dark Side Of The Moon—**_

Sai jerked the gun to the side at the last moment but it was too late, and Naruto cried out in pain. Sasuke shouted and ran forwards as he sunk to his knees and held left shoulder, the knife dropped in front of him. Naruto's arm felt as if it were on fire and he got light headed just from looking at it. Blood blossomed across his sleeve and spiralled down his arm in a steady trickle.

Sai growled and lifted the gun again, aiming it at Sasuke. Sasuke didn't notice, he was too occupied with Naruto and was panicking at the blood pooling on the ground. Naruto saw though.

He was compelled to do it instinctively. He took his blood covered hand from his arm and grabbed the knife in front of him by the handle. Ignoring Sasuke's bewildered face, he held it between two fingers and threw it towards Sai. The moment it left his fingers Naruto felt himself screaming in regret.

'_NO! STOP!'_

It was too late to do anything. He could only watch as the knife cut cleanly into Sai's abdomen and he gasped and dropped the gun. The henchmen that were left over rushed to him and together they escaped into the night.

Naruto breathed heavily and sweat ran down his forehead as he slumped sideways. He could hear the blood dripping from his arm now. The loss of it was starting to make him dizzy. Curiously, he couldn't really feel the pain anymore- His arm was numbing, he realized.

He couldn't hear Sasuke but he could feel warm arms as they lifted him up. He could feel the beating of Sasuke's heart next to him, and he rested his head against Sasuke's chest. His eyes weakly began to close…

_Pounding footsteps…_

Everything that was happening seemed so nostalgic…

* * *

_FLASHBACK_

_Most of the Northside High students had been expecting a normal day when they went to school that September morning. _

_That fateful morning…_

_Curiously, they noted that the Jinchuuriki were not in the quad like they normally were. Not a single one of them. They brushed it off though -who were they to question the workings of the most powerful Northside gang?_

_Some girls sighed wistfully as this thought crossed their mind. The Jinchuuriki seemed to be near perfect beings. They were strong, good-looking, and they were the ideals in everyone's eyes. Pity though – most of the guys were gay._

_Screams suddenly erupted from near the base of the main building. People ran to the source of the commotion and with fearful eyes cast their gazes to the top of the 4-storey building. There was a figure there…_

_Collected gasps went around and horrified screams came from several girls as the figure on the roof moved closer to the edge. Behind the students, teachers hurriedly whispered to each other before a few ran into the building and one took out a cell phone._

"_Tsunade-sama! This is urgent-!"_

_Even from where everyone was on the ground they could see the blood on him. As he edged even closer, his intentions became clear…_

_END FLASHBACK—_

'_I can't run from this any longer.'_

_Naruto lifted his hand in front of his face. It was strangely translucent and seemed to shimmer. He looked beyond it to the transparent form across from him. The person had blonde hair tinted red._

_Naruto shivered, and the other _him_ came closer. He took a step back as emotionless, stone eyes looked into his. _

_He didn't want the past. The past wasn't important, it hurt too much. He only wanted…_

'_Sasuke.'_

His eyes gently fluttered open. A white ceiling. Nothing unfamiliar. He was in a hospital.

He turned his head on the pillows to his right and saw what he was searching for. He smiled at Sasuke, sleeping with his head resting on the cabinet next to him. Sasuke's brow was creased, and his hand was stretched out across the cabinet as though he'd been reaching for him.

_Dark, obsidian eyes, narrowed with malice and lust…_

Naruto pulled himself up and cried out when pain shot up his arm. He looked down and saw it was in a sling.

Naruto's cry had woken up Sasuke and his eyes widened as he saw him moving around recklessly on his feet next to the bed.

"Dobe! Get back in the bed!" Sasuke stood up and looked tersely down at the blonde, the worry unconcealed in his eyes.

Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Is that the first thing you say after my heroic actions?" he said good-naturedly. He wished he hadn't because Sasuke suddenly looked grim. He wrapped his arms around Naruto, being careful to avoid his injured shoulder.

'_I promised that no one would hurt him…'_

"Don't do that ever again. Hear me?" Sasuke's arms were tight yet gentle around him. Everything about him was warm and comforting to Naruto and he closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling that Sasuke gave him.

"What was I supposed to do?" he whispered into the embrace. "It's my fault for loving you." He nuzzled at Sasuke's neck.

"I can't lose you," Sasuke said simply.

Naruto looked up in surprise at the directness of the statement, then his expression warmed and he smiled. Everything at that moment felt so right…

'_I've lost everything.'_

His eyes widened and he pushed himself back away from Sasuke.

"_What would you know…?'"_

_A smiling brown haired boy…_

"…_you were out first friend…"_

'_Gaara.'_

"_Only I care…"_

'_Akatsuki…I remember…'_

"Naruto?"

"_Only __**I**__ love you." _

He couldn't deny it anymore. There had never been an accident. It was coming back.

Hands placed themselves on his arms urgently. The door to the room suddenly slammed open and two people came in. Sasuke quickly pulled his hands back and both boys looked up in surprise, and beheld Jiraiya and Tsunade. They'd travelled all this way to see Naruto.

Tsunade rushed forward and instantly pulled Naruto to her. However, Jiraiya took the liberty to spare Sasuke an extra glance and he frowned slightly, a stir of recognition behind his eyes. He couldn't put his finger on where he'd seen this boy before.

He let it pass. Naruto was the most important thing right now and he needed to make sure he was alright. He gently prised Naruto out of Tsunade's arms and returned the grin that Naruto gave him. He ruffled Naruto's hair affectionately and said in a cheerful voice, "How are you going kiddo?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. "I'm fine. This doesn't hurt at all…I've had worse."

Sasuke watched shrewdly as Jiraiya and Tsunade instantly stiffened and exchanged a glance. Jiraiya quickly pulled a smile on over his baffled face and forced a chuckle. "What, of course it hurts, I know you're tough but-"

"No." Naruto shook his head firmly.

Tsunade gave Jiraiya a desperate look. Sasuke was staring between Naruto and the two adults. He unnervingly noticed an uncharacteristic cold gleam in Naruto's blue eyes.

'_What's going on. Why does Naruto sound different?' _He looked suspiciously at Jiraiya as the man spoke.

"Naruto…", Jiraiya began in a low voice. "You…"

"That's right ero-sennin." A fox-like grin spread across Naruto's face and the voice was strangely calm. Almost eerily so…

"There was no car accident all those months ago. I remember now."

'_Remember…what? A car accident?'_

Naruto's voice took on a bitter tone and his eyes darkened. "I'm Kyuubi…" he said despondently, uttering the name like a taboo.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he remembered what Zetsu had called Naruto back at the _Densha Bar_.

Naruto walked slowly backwards away from them. His free hand moved to his head, and he leaned back against the wall and doubled over as the now familiar ache in his head returned with a vengeance.

Tsunade took a step forwards and everyone in the room flinched when Naruto suddenly screamed in agony. When he lifted his face Sasuke saw with a pang that it was a mask of pain and grief. Naruto bit his lip and tried to block out the pain. He'd given up stopping the memories…they were coming back whether he wanted them to or not.

Naruto moved back and hit the cabinet and his hand accidentally struck a glass cup, knocking it to the floor. The glass shattered onto the ground and Naruto stared down at it.

'_The vase…'_

Images flooded him.

"_Do you want food?"_

_Naruto crouched in a foetal position. He didn't respond- he'd learnt that his tormentors would go away quicker if he didn't provoke them._

'_Make them go away…'_

_The bully smirked and then threw the rubbish at Naruto before walking away. Naruto pushed it off of him and held himself. He may be an orphan, but he was by no means a beggar._

* * *

_It was quite easy for him to fight off the half dozen small boys. The redhead next to him wasn't so bad either. He'd started fighting once he saw Naruto was helping him._

_Naruto was not yet 8 but he'd seen more things on the streets than most people would ever see in their lives. He'd help others like himself._

_He smiled at the redhead, who attempted a shy smile back. Naruto then grinned – the new bruise beneath his eye showed obviously- and held out his hand. "I'm Naruto uzumaki!"_

_The redhead stared for a moment before his eyes softened and he grasped the hand. Naruto comprehended the calloused skin beneath his palm. "Gaara."_

* * *

'_No one can hurt us anymore.'_

_The word 'Jinchuuriki' first became feared when they were 12 years old. Nine childhood friends. Jiraiya taught them how to defend themselves. He used to go to the orphanage to give talks but he'd grown fond of Naruto and began going to visit the boy. Naruto was rare- Determined, and with a personality that could put anyone at ease. _

_At first Jiraiya had thought that perhaps Naruto's past may somehow have been less rough than that of the other orphans. After a bit of research he found out this was far from the truth._

_Naruto's parents had been prominent in the underworlds, just like Jiraiya. It shocked him when he learnt that Naruto was the son of one of his pupils. He realized then, that Naruto would never be able to grow up like a normal boy. His parent's afflictions with the underworlds would follow him like a curse. _

_Jiraiya could only watch as Naruto became Kyuubi and entered into the cursed life that his parents had lead. And he could only watch everything that happened after…_

Naruto screamed in pain as he felt the unfamiliar thoughts flood him in a torrent as they broke through the barriers in his mind. Both a mental and physical pain. His head was being overrun with searing twinges, but there was also the horrible disorder that came from not knowing who he was. There were two consciences in him, but which one was he…?

Kyuubi was his past, the identity he had created to get rid of his pain.

And the present…he had friends, something that he thought he'd lost forever. More importantly, it was the present him that had met the most important person in his life...

His eyes fell on Sasuke and he looked desperately into the dark eyes. Sasuke was next to him in an instant and his arms wrapped protectively around Naruto, his hand tangled in Naruto's hair as he pulled the smaller boy to him. He ignored the shouts of warning that Jiraiya and Tsunade were giving out, only caring for the blonde trembling in his embrace.

He whispered soothingly to him, gently holding him in his safe encirclement until eventually Naruto sank completely into his hold. Completely dependent on Sasuke…

"Sasuke…" Naruto whispered in a tormented voice.

A gasp came from behind them as Sasuke kissed Naruto softly on the forehead. Naruto looked up. His eyes were still confused from the inner turmoil he was feeling but having Sasuke there placated him…

The mêlée began to slur…

'_That's right.' _

Slowly, he felt the agonizing mental pain of having two identities begin to ease down, as one succeeded over the other...

'_I don't care about the past. It can't hurt me anymore…'_

He slowly wrapped his arms around Sasuke's waist. He felt Sasuke move beneath them as he tightened his own hold.

'…_because I have Sasuke.'_

* * *

Sasuke closed the door behind him and faced the two adults. Both of them were looking suspiciously at him but he refused to quail beneath their gaze. His mind was haunted by the pained expression that had been on Naruto's face and the way he had seemed so lost, even when Sasuke had finally held him and assured him everything was alright.

They'd left Naruto to get his rest and now he was cornered by these two guardians of his. But that was alright- there was no way on earth Naruto's breakdown was because of the incident with Sai. Sasuke had his own questions he wanted answered.

_'I'll be dammed if they don't tell me what the fuck is wrong with Naruto,'_ he thought fixedly.

The adults sat down across from him and it struck Sasuke how supremely calm they were about the whole thing. That couldn't possibly be normal…could it?

"The brat seems to be scrutinizing us," Jiraiya said with a grin.

Sasuke glared at the white haired man for being right, who laughed and clapped a hand onto his thigh and looked approvingly at Tsunade. "I like him. I can see why Naruto's got it for him."

Seemingly annoyed by this statement, Tsunade lightly punched Jiraiya on the leg.

'_How can they act so normal right now?'_ Sasuke thought.

"Now, brat," Jiraiya said slyly as he nursed his bruise. "Would you happen to be that fool who tried to hack into Naruto's files some time ago?"

Sasuke's eyes widened and Jiraiya grinned. "That'll be a yes. Well, you almost got through. _Would _have too. My system alerted me and I set up a couple of extra walls."

Sasuke thought at high speeds. _'This man even tricked Shikamaru…just who is he?'_

Jiraiya's eyes lit up suddenly. "Ever heard of the toad hermit?"

'_Toad…hermit?'_

"Yes! I am the mighty-"

"NOT THIS AGAIN!"

With a vicious punch, a fuming Tsunade knocked Jiraiya sideways off of his chair. It seemed Jiraiya had become her 'outlet' for feelings. She looked pointedly at Sasuke, and forced a strained smile on her lips. "Long story short- he's a part of the underworlds. _Your_ underworld, because from what I've heard you're probably involved too. I used to be too before I completely moved into the medical field..."

Jiraiya whimpered from the ground and dragged himself back up, acting like a complete baby in the process. Sasuke sweat dropped but pulled himself together.

"I want to know what's happening," he said.

Jiraiya and Tsunade froze. "You mean you still haven't figured it out?" Jiraiya said in mock amazement. "And I thought you seemed smart."

Sasuke ignored the slight and bequeathed Jiraiya the Uchiha glare. Jiraiya scratched the back of his head absentmindedly and looked at Tsunade. Tsunade gave a jerk of her shoulders.

"Well…" Jiraiya said slowly. "I'll tell you, but first…"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. What did he want? The man before him seemed to swell, indeed representing a toad.

"Are you and Naruto together?"

Sasuke almost slid down the wall and gawked at the man. That was unexpected. What _was_ this man?

"Yes..."

He sweat dropped some more as Jiraiya punched the air and exclaimed, "I _knew_ he was uke material!" This earned him another punch from Tsunade and Sasuke answered his own question. _'He's a pervert. These two…'_

When Jiraiya had recovered he sighed. "I guess if you two are together, then I'll help out Naruto and tell you…after all, we don't know how much he remembers himself."

"Of course," Tsunade mumbled, "we'd prefer he never remembered at all…"

'_What don't they want Naruto to remember?' _Sasuke thought. He was sick with worry about everything that was happening.

"Ok kid. I'll tell you some, not all. Even I don't know all the details, so Naruto will have to tell you those if he feels like it."

Sasuke nodded.

"Do you think Naruto seems to be very innocent? Naïve? In other words, uke mater-"

Tsunade cracked her knuckles threateningly and Jiraiya hurriedly swallowed his words. "Anyway, you probably do. But the thing is, that's only part of Naruto. Or it used to be. In the past he was more…ruthless."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Naruto? Ruthless? _'This man's senile…'_

Jiraiya seemed to guess what Sasuke was thinking and scowled. "You heard of Kyuubi?"

Sasuke frowned to himself. From his limited Japanese, that translated into something like…_'Nine tails?'_ It did seem vaguely familiar.

"Jinchuuriki?" Jiraiya suggested helpfully.

That was it. Sasuke's eyes widened. _'Kyuubi is the leader of the Jinchuuriki. Naruto…'_

Jiraiya nodded his head grimly. "Yes… Naruto was Kyuubi. But that doesn't change much, he was still a nice person, even back then. Perhaps too nice…"

Tsunade spoke and her voice trembled. "It was because of that that he almost died."

"He tried to commit suicide," Jiraiya said before Sasuke could open his mouth.

Sasuke flinched. Naruto always seemed joyful. How could someone like him…

"He had it rough as he was growing up. He was an outcast because of his parents and his looks. I think it was something about being a pretty boy. The thing is, while he was with the Jinchuuriki they got into a bit of a mess with another gang. The other gang tried to kill them all and they almost did too. Only Naruto was left. But then, he tried to kill himself right after…"

Sasuke was finding this difficult to absorb. He was being told that Naruto wasn't who he thought him to be. But…he was also being told that Naruto and him had more in common with each other than he thought.

"And that's all we know."

Sasuke's head snapped up.

"What!"

"I said, that's all we know", Jiraiya said seriously. "We don't know _exactly _why he was trying to kill himself but we think it had something to do with the deaths of all the others. All the others died in the same incident, and they were like a family to him..."

"Gaara didn't die," Tsunade said suddenly. Jiraiya turned to her distractedly and she told him, "He's at the same school as Naruto now. Probably on this vacation too."

'_Gaara is a Jinchuuriki too…'_

'_Naruto was a gang leader…Kyuubi. He almost got killed –no. He almost killed himself.'_

Ridiculous. And yet…

'_It explains everything.'_

"Who was the rival gang?"

Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at him in surprise. "Why would you want to know that?"

"I want to know more about Naruto," he lied.

'_I want to KILL those bastards.'_

Jiraiya rubbed his chin thoughtfully. This kid was so easy to read, it was amusing.

"They're from Konoha, and being from Konoha High, you've probably heard of them- the Akatsuki."

'_The…Akatsuki!'_

Sasuke's breath hitched. _'This…'_

One thought in his mind dominated over all the others – _'ITACHI DID THIS!' _Itachi's strange behaviour at seeing Naruto was explained and Sasuke was filled with a burning rage and hatred.

He wanted Itachi dead more than he'd ever wanted in his life. He wanted him burning in hell because he'd hurt Naruto. He felt another pang as he remembered how Naruto had looked up to Itachi, not even realising who he was.

Across from him Tsunade and Jiraiya stood up. "We'll leave Naruto with you," Jiraiya said. "But if you hurt him…my skills haven't grown rusty."

Tsunade nodded rather reluctantly. She wasn't happy, but she was a doctor. She saw what Sasuke was to Naruto. He was keeping Naruto's mind in check and more importantly, keeping him happy. _'And he accepts Naruto,' _she thought.

"We're going to be staying here for the rest of your vacation thought," she warned.

Sasuke nodded.

Out of Sasuke's range of hearing Jiraiya said calmly to Tsunade, "You must be feeling better now."

"What do you mean?"

"You were scared he'd try to pull another stunt like last time. But that Sasuke kid…he's important to Naruto. I guess that's also why you didn't do anything when he kissed him. You _know_."

Tsunade nodded slightly. "If he is really what Naruto needs, then I'm happy for them."

"No 'Naruto is gay!' or cries of distress?" Jiraiya teased.

Tsunade shook her head. "But…" She turned to Jiraiya with narrowed eyes. "_Uke material?_"

_--With Sasuke--_

When Tsunade and Jiraiya left Sasuke went back into Naruto's room. Naruto was awake again and propped up on his pillows. He'd been staring at the opposite wall but when he saw Sasuke he attempted to get up. Sasuke quickly pushed him back down and sat on the chair next to the bed. "The others will come and visit later," he told him. "Kakashi wouldn't let everyone come to the hospital."

He couldn't take his eyes off Naruto's face as he thought. _'My brother was responsible. He almost killed Naruto. What if…what if Naruto remembers that I'm his enemy's brother?'_

So far it seemed Naruto had no recollection of the Akatsuki. Sasuke almost wished that Naruto would never remember but he knew it would be selfish of him. Naruto had that right. And if he hated him…he didn't know what he was going to do.

'_Could Naruto really have been capable of all that? Was he really Kyuubi...?'_

"Do you hate me Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked up in shock. Naruto's eyes were sad and vacant. He was serious.

'_**I **__should be the one asking that,'_ Sasuke thought guiltily.

Naruto mumbled, "I used to kill people. I still don't remember everything, but I remember that. And Sai…I threw a _knife_ at him. I'm a monster...' He shuddered in shame and drew his un-bandaged arm around himself. Sasuke hated seeing Naruto like this, it wasn't like the Naruto he knew.

"I could never hate you," he said simply. Naruto looked up at him and Sasuke smiled. His smile, for Naruto alone.

"Don't you remember who I am?" he said, and forced a chuckle. Naruto tried to smile weakly back.

"Yes," Naruto said unenthusiastically. "But…I think there's more. I can feel there's something more that I don't know yet. What about then? What if it turns out that I was a completely different person from who I am now?"

Sasuke sighed and bonked him gently and affectionately on the head. "I love you. No past is going to change that."

'_But the past might make _**you**_ hate me.'_

Naruto looked content for the moment. He removed his hand from where he'd absently placed it on the spot Sasuke hit his head.

"I love you too."

He kissed Sasuke chastely, who gratefully sank into the touch. He noticed Sasuke's lips were cold and he was shivering. He realised why- the air conditioning was freezing and Sasuke was only in a shirt and shorts. _'What happened to his jacket? Ahh...he put it on me.'_

He moved over in the bed and lifted the sheets up. Ignoring Sasuke's expression, he pulled the Uchiha by the hand under the covers and then threw the sheets over them both. He snuggled up to Sasuke and held his hand under the covers.

"This feels better," he murmured.

"Nnn", Sasuke agreed. He turned so he was facing Naruto. He could tell Naruto was sleepy. It was taking almost all his energy to keep his eyes open so Sasuke didn't try to talk. He contented himself to twisting a lock of Naruto's hair around his finger as he watched his blonde slowly drift off to sleep.

Naruto looked so peaceful, his mouth was half open and with each breath his hair moved slightly. It was so hard to believe that he really was Kyuubi.

'_It doesn't matter if he is,' _Sasuke thought firmly. _'It doesn't change anything.'_

Except…that Itachi was now more than just his problem alone.

* * *

He'd heard every single word and now gritted his teeth in anger as they became silent.

Together.

His hands clenched as he unfolded his arms and he pushed himself forwards off the wall he had been leaning back on and eavesdropping through. _'He is **mine**_,_'_ he thought in anger._ 'No one else's.'_

Only he was allowed to embrace him, to feel his lips, to whisper words into his ear. No one else…his brother no exception.

He'd allow them to enjoy each other for now. Eventually, he would be the one to claim Naruto. He smirked and with this thought prominent in his mind, he slowly began walking down the empty hospital hallway, the echoes of his steps resounding before his feet…

* * *

Next chapter- Some GaaNeji for the ones who wanted. And what happens when perverts supreme, Kakashi and Jiraiya, are on the same vacation with a bunch of innocent kids? No, not that you perverts. (Hit's over head with mouse)

(Runs)

Review!


	16. Lies Fall Like Rain

" " – speaking

' '_- thinking_

_Italics only- Memories/Flashbacks/Dreams_

* * *

_**--Chapter Sixteen—**_

_**--Lies Fall Like Rain—**_

Shikamaru sighed heavily and Kiba grumbled in agreement from where his chin was resting on the table. Even though Neji, Chouji and Lee were also there, the silence in the common room was lavishly boring. Not to mention the worry that was hanging over all of them.

It had been three days already. Three days since Naruto had been shot, and two days since they'd all gone to the hospital and walked in on Sasuke and Naruto in the same bed, cuddled up as though they could stay that way through hell itself. Sasuke had then woken up and given them a glare that clearly said, _'Don't you dare wake him.'_

Naruto very promptly woke up of his own accord. When he realized that everyone was in the door staring at him and Sasuke he was so startled that he'd thrashed and kicked the Uchiha out of the bed.

Naruto had seemed normal enough, and Sasuke also hadn't said anything out of the ordinary.

But there was a certain tension in the air…an overprotective air that although had been there before, was now positively alarming on Sasuke. Neji knew why, and Shikamaru had a guess.

Take pity on poor Kiba, who was completely clueless and was the only one who was in his state of monotony _because _of boredom.

'_Concur to the naïve bliss of a sleeping dog…'_

* * *

Because Naruto's left arm was injured (_'He's right handed',_ Sasuke thought), because Naruto was tired (He'd been very energetic that morning,Sasuke thought with a twitch), and _because _Sasuke loved him so (_'God have pity on me')_, the raven found himself feeding Naruto in their room on his bed.

Yes. _Their_ room now, because Sasuke had been handed the duty of care to look after Naruto. He secretly thanked Jiraiya for having the talk with Kakashi about that matter, and also inwardly smirked that he was the one with Naruto now, not Gaara.

Naruto chewed adorably as Sasuke spoon fed him the curry rice. He brushed an unruly golden lock out of his eyes and wriggled temptingly on the velvety sheets. Sasuke cursed his hormones as he held the dish in his hand and watched a single grain of rice on Naruto's lip. It glared tauntingly at him, on the place where Sasuke wanted his own lips to be.

Naruto was discharged from the hospital in almost perfect health. According to the doctors and Tsunade, his arm healed at an abnormal speed. He didn't even need the sling anymore, and despite his _injured_ arm or anything he said otherwise, he was still perfectly capable of strenuous activities.

Sasuke wasn't complaining though. He had no objection to feeding his dobe.

When Naruto finally finished eating Sasuke put the plate on the table where room service would take it later and sat behind Naruto, wrapping his arms around his waist. Naruto laughed softly as Sasuke's touch tickled him and he attempted to remove the hands.

"Stop it!"

This only spurred Sasuke on more and he began tickling him, sending Naruto into an outburst of laughing.

"Cut that out- Teme!"

Sasuke did, and the tickling became a light touching. Feeling him shiver beneath his touch, Sasuke slipped a hand beneath Naruto's dark shirt and ran his fingers across the smooth skin of his torso. At the same time he nuzzled the top of Naruto's ear. Naruto became completely alert and Sasuke simpered playfully.

"I thought you were tired?" he whispered huskily.

Naruto attempted an indignant whimper that came out more of a moan.

"Sa..suke…"

Hearing Naruto's voice calling his name like that drove Sasuke into a frenzy, and he pushed both their bodies forward, somehow managing to turn Naruto around so that he landed on his back on the bed, facing Sasuke. A flash of uncertainty flickered through Naruto's eyes, but was replaced by a feeling of pleasure as Sasuke rubbed their lower regions together, creating friction between their pants.

Naruto determinately fought off the doubtful feelings that were in the back of his mind and innocently kissed Sasuke's neck, his lips being too far away for him to reach. He felt the rapid pulsing of blood through veins beneath smooth skin as he did, and realized that Sasuke was nervous too.

"Naruto…"

Naruto saw Sasuke's eyes, asking him for permission. In answer, he put his hands around his neck and pulled him downwards. He whispered, "I trust you…"

'_I love you.'_

Sasuke's erection was hard against his thigh, and Naruto felt a rush as Sasuke swept down to capture his lips in a passionate kiss. He pushed fiercely back, their tongues battling for dominance. With a quick shift of his leg he mischievously flipped them over so that he was on the top. His weight and body pressed down intoxicatingly on Sasuke for a moment before Sasuke repeated the move on Naruto so that he was once again straddling the blonde.

Sasuke broke the kiss and smirked down at Naruto. Naruto pouted and made Sasuke want to take him right there and then.

"Teme. It won't hurt to let me be on top for a few seconds, you and your damn superiority complex."

"Didn't I say that I was seme?" Sasuke drawled out. Naruto rolled his eyes sarcastically, which quickly turned into a yelp as Sasuke began attacking his neck with his lips. He nibbled softly on the flesh there, sucking on one particular spot above his left collarbone until he'd left a bright red mark.

"Possessive much?" Naruto panted teasingly when he realized the mark that had been placed on him.

"Of course," Sasuke said in a heavily layered voice. A moan escaped him as Naruto wriggled rebelliously beneath him, taunting him. "You're _my_ dobe."

Naruto felt unbidden the flash of black hair and dark malicious eyes come into his mind. He tensed momentarily before he forced it away like he'd been doing for the past few days. His hand stayed on Sasuke's chest as Sasuke hooked a finger beneath his shirt and began slowly drawing the material away.

He looked into Sasuke's eyes, willing himself to see the love and passion there, not the malice in those eyes that he kept on remembering…

Both of them heard the turning of a door knob.

Naruto panicked and looked up at Sasuke. "You locked the door didn't you?!" he demanded.

Sasuke looked confused. He _had_ locked the door. Before either of them could move, the previously locked door had been pushed open and two tall figures stood in the doorway. Sasuke and Naruto froze.

They heard a chuckle, and a sigh, both of which sounded familiar. The clinking of keys was heard.

"You won, Jiraiya-sama. Although I daresay I never guessed we would've walked in on them like this."

Jiraiya snickered triumphantly.

'_Kakashi and Jiraiya!'_

Kakashi lifted an eyebrow at the two on the bed, both of whom were facing the new arrivals. Naruto was flushing beet red beneath Sasuke, while said raven was looking murderous and annoyed at the distraction. Naruto quickly pushed the raven off him and tried to sit up, unfortunately getting their legs tangled up in the process.

"When I put you two in the same room so that you could _take care_ of Naruto, I didn't quite mean it in this way Sasuke," Kakashi said in a highly amused voice.

'_Pervert.'_

Naruto hissed as his cheeks reached a whole new level of red and he grabbed a book off the cabinet and threw it at Jiraiya. "Get out you ero-sennin!" he screeched.

With another snicker, the pair disappeared behind a closed door and the book slid to the floor.

Naruto and Sasuke didn't do anything for awhile. Naruto buried his flaming face into Sasuke's shirt and muttered in embarrassment, "_Everyone's_ going to know now."

Sasuke sighed into Naruto's hair, feeling his arousal slowly go away. The mood was gone and he felt a certain ill-boding feeling towards Jiraiya and Kakashi. He ruffled the blonde hair beneath his palm and said, "C'mon dobe. Let's go see what they're up to before we get blackmailed."

* * *

Blackmail was the least of their worries. When they reached the common room hand in hand, every single head snapped to them so quickly that 'cricks' echoed through their ears. Naruto mumbled faintly and tightened his grip on Sasuke's hand as the color began rising up his neck. This only lead to more attention being focused on the red mark on his collarbone.

Sasuke glared at them all, particularly at Jiraiya and Kakashi who were compressing their giggles like a bunch of school girls. Oh, the desire to burn Kakashi's Icha Icha collection…

Kiba cleared his throat, slightly pink in the face. "Ahem…so, uh. According to these two perverted old men, you two were…"

'_Old?!'_ Jiraiya and Kakashi exclaimed. They ignored them.

"So?" Sasuke asked. Naruto's hand tried to pry itself out of his grip as the gazes on them intensified.

"REALLY?!"

'_What's with the reaction…?__ They knew we were dating…'_

"We were making out," Sasuke said coolly, oblivious to the frantic tugs on his hand. Naruto's face was so red that he might've fainted from the amount of blood in his head, but Sasuke pressed on. "So?"

Kiba shook his head in disbelief. "…Wow. So it's true. I mean…I never thought _you_ would be the uke."

'……_What.'_

The tugging on his arm stopped abruptly. Next to him, Naruto stifled a laugh in the palm of his hand and looked positively gleeful. Death vibes were now coming off of Sasuke as he turned his eyes very slowly to face two people who were, currently, at risk of dying a very painful death.

Kakashi laughed nervously and raised his arms innocently. "We never said you were making out. _You_ did."

"_You…_" Sasuke began grinding his teeth.

"I _am_ Naruto's godfather," Jiraiya said unhelpfully. Naruto raised an eyebrow. He'd remembered that fact, although he'd neglected bringing it up with Sasuke. He smiled angelically at the Uchiha that had looked questioningly at him and said sweetly, "I have no such godfather."

"_You! _You traitor!" Jiraiya exclaimed in horror.

Sasuke dislodged his and Naruto's hands and cracked his knuckles. Naruto laughed and whispered in his ear, "I feel _tired _Sasuke_-kun_. I'm going back to our room... Have fun." Ignoring Jiraiya's tragic cry and the yearning look he'd induced in Sasuke's eyes, Naruto went up the stairs.

* * *

Gaara lay on his back on his bed deep in thought. He was waiting.

Naruto had told him the day before that he needed to talk to him about something, and Gaara suspected not even Sasuke knew. He just said he'd come to his room sometime and then left.

Something about the eyes and voice had been different. It was…like the past. Cool, calm, collected. What was it that even the Uchiha wasn't to hear?

He heard the knocking on his door and got up and opened it. As expected, Naruto stood there but unnervingly, he was calm. No heinously loud greeting like 'normal'. This wasn't the behavior that Gaara had grown accustomed to in Konoha.

"Hey." Naruto flicked his gaze down the corridor before entering the room, as though making sure no one had followed him. He closed the door behind him and strode across to sit on the spare bed. Finally, the stoic expression dropped, to be replaced by an urgent, worried look.

Gaara sat on the chair next to the table and observed the blonde. "Naruto, what is this about?"

Naruto leant forward, his eyes anxious. "Gaara, I _remember_."

"You…remember?" Gaara tried to keep his voice level and careful.

Naruto threw his right arm up and said in a saddened voice, "Don't. I remember everything." He stood up and began pacing the room restlessly. "It's been coming back these past few days, and I think I remember everything. How we met, everyone in Jinchuuriki, how…how the others were all killed."

He stopped pacing, his hair moved forwards abruptly. "Gaara…who was the Akatsuki leader?"

Gaara moved as though burnt. "Naruto…you…" He didn't say anything. He wouldn't tell Naruto that the leader of Akatsuki was his boyfriend's brother.

Naruto already knew.

He could see it in Gaara's eyes and he nodded glumly. "Itachi… right?" He slumped back down and tears came to his eyes as he held himself protectively on the ground in the corner of the room. "His face…it's in all my nightmares", he whispered. "and so many of my memories are about him. Almost…almost as though we'd been _dating_," he said with a shudder.

'_But what hurts the most…is that when I look at Sasuke, I see some of Itachi in him.'_

Gaara said quietly, "You two never dated. There was no such relationship."

Naruto looked up, confused. "But why are there all these memories of him _kissing_ me? I remember those. And on the night everyone else died…he was there too wasn't he? I remember, he saved me from Kakuzu." He shook his head violently in his hands while Gaara took a sharp intake of breath.

"What is he?" Naruto whispered. "I'm confused. We weren't dating, but I remember dates. Akatsuki tried to kill me, but he saved me when he was their leader. Is he still their leader? Why didn't Sasuke tell me…?"

"That _person_ was never in a relationship with you", Gaara repeated in a hiss.

'_He__ tried to take advantage of you, of your trust…'_

He didn't move towards Naruto. He didn't know what help to offer. Instead, he stated something that had been making Naruto's insides writhe with guilt. "You didn't tell Sasuke about these memories."

Naruto flinched obviously and drew his arms closer around his legs. "They get along so well," he said miserably. "I don't want to ruin that."

'_Lies. You're scared he'll hate you.'_ The thought mentally stabbed him. '_Sasuke didn't even tell you that his brother was in Akatsuki…' _

"Are you alright?" Gaara asked in concern. It was the first time since back in Northside that Naruto had heard Gaara's voice laced with emotion. He nodded unsurely, then strained a smile.

"I remember good things too", he said. "Like when we were all little. We used to steal all of Ero-Sennin's dirty pictures and drawings and put them on Tsunade's table." He laughed.

Gaara couldn't suppress a laugh either as that thought came back to him. "Yes. The funny thing is, neither of them to this day knows we were responsible. Jiraiya thought Tsunade stole them."

Naruto smiled as melancholy gripped him. He chuckled, and continued recounting, "Remember that time Yugito…"

_Within the past lies the pain to enjoy the future._

* * *

Neji shook his head to himself, mildly amused by the sight he had just witnessed. As disturbing as it had been, Sasuke had successfully held levy over Kakashi and Jiraiya by stealing an Icha Icha manuscript from the hermit's coat pocket.

With the intention of embarrassing the pair, the manuscript had been described in explicit detail to half the people on vacation.

_Kiba_, had been forced to read it out in the middle of a bunch of stunned boys and squealing girls struggling to hold back their nose bleeds. It was the boy on boy special edition. Sasuke's smirk had been wiped cleanly off his face and replaced by a red blush as he tried to fight down the images that were brought to mind. Thoughts of him and Naruto, doing the things described in the manuscript…

Even worse was when Jiraiya and Kakashi had been so nice as to explain what was happening in the manuscript. Their poor innocent minds had been corrupted forever…it took all they had to prevent the pair from trying to explain using _distinct_ examples.

"_Ahh,__ well, this is called the (censored) __position. Sasuke, you and Naruto should try this one. (Wink, wink)."_

Speaking of Naruto. Neji's eyes widened as a door opened and Naruto came out. Naruto smiled and nodded to the person inside the room then walked down the corridor away from Neji, not managing to see him.

'_That's Gaara's room.'_

An unexplained snarl erupted in his chest, and he fulfilled it by snarling and blocking the door before it could be shut. A slightly startled green gaze looked at him through the space before Neji pushed the door completely open and stormed into the room.

"What was Naruto doing in your room!?" he demanded.

"What are _you_ doing in my room Hyuuga?" Gaara said after he'd recovered from Neji storming in.

Neji ignored the question. "You know that he and Sasuke are together. What are you doing? You know he has feelings _only_ for Sasuke."

Gaara looked skeptically at him, and Neji lost his voice before he could continue raving. The black rimmed eyes narrowed. "Your obsession with Naruto is becoming a problem."

"I am not obsessed," Neji said coolly. "I can worry for a friend can't I?"

"If I remember correctly, last time _you_ were the one threatening to divulge his past, and _I _was his friend." Gaara hadn't forgotten that incident. It was clear in his mind, the way that Neji had used his friendship with Naruto.

Neji flinched slightly but didn't allow himself to be daunted. "That doesn't matter. If Sasuke finds out then-"

"Sasuke knows about me and Naruto's past," Gaara said coldly. "Without your help Naruto remembered anyway." He glared at Neji, expecting some sort of retaliation. None came, and he felt disconcerted.

When Neji suddenly smiled Gaara realized what had happened.

"You fell for the same trick twice…" Neji said.

"You bastard," Gaara snarled.

Neji wagged a finger infuriatingly. "You can't blame me for your own mistakes." Nonplussed, he easily dodged the punch that came towards his face and he held the fist in an iron grip as he drew his face close to Gaara's. Gaara glared and Neji smirked.

"I keep by what I said. You're pretty cute."

He released his hold and walked to the door. "I hope you know what you're doing," he said. "Naruto may have remembered everything, and Sasuke might know, but the Uchiha has a possessive disorder when it comes to Naruto. Be careful…" He left, and Gaara snorted to himself.

'_You're smart, but not smart enough. Naruto doesn't remember everything, and Sasuke doesn't know everything either.'_

Troubled, he sat on the chair and placed his chin on interlocked fingers as he thought. _'Naruto, Sasuke, Itachi…this isn't going to turn out well.'_

He'd seen the flaw in Naruto's words. A piece of information that hadn't matched up. One disturbing fact that troubled Gaara -

"_On the night everyone else died…he was there too wasn't he?...he saved me from Kakuzu."_

Gaara shook his head. _'Naruto…__**you**__ killed Kakuzu.'_

_FLASHBACK_

_A gun was put to his head. Across from him, another gun was placed at Naruto's head. Gaara bared his teeth at Kakuzu who sneered and took a grip on Naruto's hair, pulling it while still pointing the gun at his head. Naruto defiantly refused to cry out._

"_Itachi was right," Deidera said as he observed Naruto. "He's cute."_

_When Kakuzu jerked Naruto's head around so that he could finally see him, Naruto spat at him. Enraged, the Akatsuki member slapped Naruto across the face before kicking him to the ground. Naruto coughed out blood as he was pulled roughly to his feet._

"_Deidera. You take care of the redhead," Kakuzu ordered in a raspy voice._

_Deidera removed his gun from Gaara's head and waved it around recklessly. "Why do you get the blonde?" he complained. Gaara took this opportunity to whip around and reach for his pocket…_

"_Stop."_

_Deidera grinned, and Gaara froze. "Be good," Deidera said cockily. He threw the grenade in his hand behind him. It exploded, leaving scorch marks across the tiles._

_Across from them Kakuzu began dragging Naruto into one of the classrooms. Naruto refused to go at first, until Kakuzu pulled the safety catch. Gaara felt himself be dragged towards another classroom in the other direction but he didn't really register it over his worry for what was going to happen to Naruto._

_It was only when he was thrown against a wall did he start thinking about what was happening to him. He growled defiantly up at Deidera who laughed at his efforts. "I would have much preferred the blonde, he was so good looking," he said conversationally. He began undoing the knot that kept the cloak around his neck. "But…I suppose you will do…"_

* * *

_When Gaara woke up his entire __being __screamed out in protest. His muscles seared and the recent invasion on his body was replayed over and over in his mind. For the first time in a long time, he cried. He cowered in his ripped clothes against the dirty walls__, anguish gripping him__. He was alone, and he remembered the last words before Deidera had left him there for dead._

"_Will you continue to live when all your friends are dead? Do us a favor and kill yourself…"_

'_No…Naruto…he can't be!'_

_He laboriously got to his feet and stumbled out into the corridor. He looked around drowsily before seeing an ajar classroom door. He walked slowly towards it in dread._

_The metallic scent of blood assailed his senses as he stepped into the doorway. He leaned heavily on the frame for support and looked in horror into the classroom._

_Blood. Blood, everywhere._

_It covered the seats, the tables, it was spattered over the walls. A shredded body lay in the middle of the mess. Gaara stumbled forwards and felt a cold satisfaction as he saw it was Kakuzu. It was quickly replaced by panic. Where was Naruto?_

_He left, not before noticing the handle of the knife sticking out of Kakuzu's chest. One of Naruto's._

_As he stumbled through the corridors he realized that it was morning. In __trepidation, he heard the sound of voices coming from outside the window – school was starting._

_He limped to the locker-room and fumbled in his pocket until he found his key. He dug through the mess in his locker and retrieved his spare uniform. __He changed quickly, careful to not get any blood on it and stuffed his ripped uniform into his locker with a grimace._

'_I have to find Naruto,' he thought as he left the locker-room._

_The others were dead. Naruto __**had**__ to be alive. He had to…_

_High pitched screams caught his attention and he ran as quickly as he could down the corridor to the double doors. 'Did they find the others' bodies?' he thought grimly as he went outside._

_He melded into the crowd and did his best to stop his injuries showing. In the confusion, he followed the gazes of the others and it came to rest on the roof. Someone was there…_

_Gaara's breath caught and he screamed. _

"_Naruto!"_

_Naruto stood on the roof, a seemingly dazed expression on his face. His clothes were covered in even more blood than Gaara's had been. Naruto didn't hear his cry and Gaara looked wildly around._

'_The stairs!'_

_He bolted out of the staring crowd and back through the main doors and up the stairs__. At the third floor he let out a cry of agony and collapsed behind a corner.__ He cursed himself and wept, unable to stand up anymore…_

_The pain in his lower body and the exhaustion slowly closed in on him and his world dissolved into darkness…_

Gaara put a finger to his cheek. Tears. Again. He cursed himself angrily for his weakness and wiped them on the back of his hand.

He thought back again, and he was sure. He hadn't seen Itachi at all during the events at Northside High. The blade in Kakuzu had been Naruto's.

'_But Naruto said Itachi was there'_, he thought uneasily.

He needed fresh air. He strode to the window and opened it, closing his eyes to bask in the gentle breeze that came in.

'_Is there something Naruto still doesn't remember?'_

* * *

Next Chapter – I'll tell you more since it won't be for awhile…I know you people love your lemons ;3. So be prepared, although I'm going to DIE from blood loss. Even the fluff in this chapter was strenuous…

I'll also unveil a dark and traumatizing smudge that connected Naruto and Sasuke's past.


	17. Love Beneath Stars, Above All

Warnings for this chapter: Extreme Lime/Lemon/Citrus. Very graphic…

Note: No new chapter for a month. Explanation at end of chapter

" "- speaking

' '_- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Seventeen—**_

_**--Love Beneath Stars, Above All—**_

Having taken care of Jiraiya and Kakashi, Sasuke began heading back to his room. Naruto's sexy voice when he left was still in his ears and he began taking long strides. They'd been apart for only awhile and already he was missing that blonde haired dobe.

'_Naruto__', _he thought with a groan of yearning, _'you don't know what you're doing to me.'_

Everything about Naruto intoxicated him and entered his blood like a drug. He yearned for that voice, for Naruto's happy laughter and that warm feeling that breathed through his body in waves. A feeling that only Naruto could bring.

He wanted that acceptance Naruto had for him. It was precious and unbelievable that Naruto's unconditional love was _his_.

Even with everything that he now knew.

Sasuke's fist clenched as thoughts of Itachi wiped away his free mood. Just thinking about him invoked a hatred more powerful than anything Sasuke knew. He'd always hated Itachi, even before he'd found out about Naruto, but now…now, his resolve was close to breaking point.

With the death of his parents years ago he'd been left in Itachi's custody- subject to the abuse, beatings and snide remarks that his sadistic brother gave. Sasuke would never forget his parents' faces as they died, or the blood flowing from their chests as they raised weak hands towards him and Itachi while they stood there, unmoving. It might've been in his imagination but before Itachi had bolted out the room to call the ambulance, Sasuke thought he'd seen a flicker in those eyes, and an upward turn at the edge of his lips. The ambulance came too late, and their parents died in the old Uchiha complex.

Sasuke was nine.

Now he was 17 and thinking back he was starting to get more suspicious. Itachi had taken him out to play on that day which was extremely rare coming from the older Uchiha. And straight after they'd gotten home they'd discovered their parents in the dining room. That was the day Sasuke lost his childhood, the nightmare he'd forever remember and which would haunt his mind until he died.

Sasuke shook the thoughts out of his head as he arrived at he and Naruto's room. He wouldn't walk in like this and worry Naruto. He forced an impassive mask on and pushed the door open, expecting Naruto to be waiting behind the door, or even better, waiting on the bed.

Instead the room was empty.

'_Where is he?'_ Sasuke thought in confusion. _'He said he was coming back here.'_

He checked the bathroom and when that didn't yield the blonde he stood in the middle of the room and thought. _'He might've gone for a walk or to get something to eat.'_

'_Or he could've gotten kidnapped.'_

Freeze.

Sasuke ran out the room.

* * *

Naruto sat smiling on the fence as he watched the locals play a football match against each other. He hadn't forgotten what he'd told Sasuke, but Naruto wasn't completely stupid either.

_'If I go back and Sasuke's already there then he'll ask me where I was.'_

It was better that he let the Uchiha come and find him himself, rather than have to answer questions.

Horrible, horrible guilt. Why can't it leave him?

'_You know why…'_

"Because I'm a liar," he muttered bitterly to himself.

The football match was no longer consolidating and he stood up and walked away. "Should I tell Sasuke everything?" he said softly. He shook his head almost instantly. Sasuke would hate him! He loved his brother, he probably wouldn't listen to a word against him.

'"_Itachi?…I can't believe this."' _

Those would probably be his first words. And then what would happen? Naruto shuddered and felt a sob catch in his throat. It seemed to be a lost cause. If he told Sasuke then he risked everything, and if he didn't he was sure Itachi would start something soon anyway. Either way, his relationship with Sasuke seemed to be on the verge of an austere turn.

Naruto crouched down into the dirt and put his head onto his knees, his hands encircled around his legs.

'_Don't cry…_

_Sasuke loves you. He told you he loved you.'_

For some reason, this thought was what seemed to make the tears come. Not the pain and guilt he was already feeling for lying to Sasuke but the fear and uncertainty he felt the future now contained. Everyday might be the day Sasuke found out about his lies, everyday might be coming closer to the end of them, the end of him. Why was he so weak?

'_What do I do?'_

Tears wouldn't get him anywhere, that much he knew. He'd just have to hope everything would turn out well, although considering his bad record with the gods it seemed more than likely they would scorn him again.

And scorn him they did.

"Look. The faggot is crying."

Naruto's head jerked upwards and he looked through kaleidoscopes in his eyes, half blinded from the tears. He wiped them on his sleeve, at the same time standing up and cursing the gods in his mind. He opened his eyes and his mouth half dropped in surprise as he looked at the three people before him.

'_Sakura?'_

Sakura's eyes flared as she looked into his eyes and she snapped, "What are you looking at?" Beside her stood two other girls that Naruto didn't recognize as being from the school, and both of them looked at him with the same hatred that was on Sakura's face.

Naruto tried to smile and shook his head. "It's nothing. What are you doing out here?" He was perfectly aware of the less than good intentions being directed at him.

'_Where __**is**__ out here?' _He looked around and realized he'd somehow walked himself into a cricket pitch with nets all around the small enclosure. He suddenly felt trapped, and his eyes fell upon the suspicious looking bucket that was at Sakura's feet.

Sakura gave a little shrug, her eyes never leaving him. "Nothing. We've just got a few certain _errands_ to run."

"I won't bother you then. I guess I'll be going back now," he tried. He began walking forwards and attempted to move past them. To his shock, Sakura pushed him back on the chest with such brute force that he impacted painfully with one of the metal poles to the side of the enclosure.

He winced through stars in his eyes as he looked at the smirking girl. _'Shit. That hurt.__What kind of a girl __**is**__ she?' _He was having difficulty breathing because she'd hit him so hard in the chest and he began worrying about what would happen if he was to get hit anywhere else by that unusual strength.

Jeez, was he going to have to fight a _girl_?

"You're not going anywhere," Sakura said authoritatively. A fake smile spread across her lips. "Not until we've established a few things."

Naruto looked bewilderedly at her. "I didn't do anything," he said instantly.

"Yes, you did!" Sakura snarled and she ran forwards suddenly. In alarm, Naruto moved his head to dodge a vicious looking punch. Her gloved hand instead went slamming into the metal pole that he'd impacted and his eyes widened in horror as the metal _dented._ The girl's fury was not satisfied though, and with a resounding _slap_, the back of her hand connected with Naruto's cheek.

Naruto stood there with eyes wide, his head forced to face the dirt floor from the force of the slap. He vaguely heard Sakura laughing, saying how he was even weak like a fag. He ground his teeth as anger began to take hold of his rationale. _'Bitch!'_

He let loose a snarl and even as Sakura was laughing, he sent a punch straight into her gut. Her mouth opened wide in shock as she looked into his flashing eyes and he hissed, "That was for the first one." He removed his hand and before Sakura could straighten, he'd lifted the other and backhand slapped her across the face so that she went flying into the dirt.

He stood there as the other two girls hurried to help Sakura up, and the rage ebbed away almost immediately into horror. _'What the __**hell**__ did I just do?!' _Sakura was standing again and she laughed uncharacteristically as she wiped a dribble of blood from her mouth.

Naruto opened his mouth to apologize but was stopped before he could.

"You really are a freak," Sakura sneered. Her pink hair was messed up, adding to the mad look that was in her eyes and Naruto froze. "How dare you seduce Sasuke-kun you _slut_," Sakura continued venomously. "You don't deserve him! You're nothing. No one cares about you, so just get the hell away from him already!"

"Sasuke does care about me," Naruto said quietly.

He saw the slap come this time but for some reason he didn't try to stop it.

Pain. He felt excruciating pain as he was knocked sideways onto the ground, and some part of his mind realized that he hadn't been slapped at all, but hit by a metal bat. One of the other girls must have been carrying it.

"You deserved that," Sakura smirked. She looked in satisfaction down at him and the blood that was staining his golden locks and starting to drip onto the ground. A low rumble from the grey clouds above made her frown and her eyes darted to the bucket to the side. If it rained then this would be difficult…

She waved her hand and the other girl carrying the bat moved towards Naruto. _'Is she some yankee leader,_' he thought humorlessly as she approached. He looked weakly up at her, then as the bat was coming down he aimed a kick at her hands and knocked it from her grip.

Sakura gave an animalistic growl and knelt down on the ground next to him. She jerked him by the collar and looked him eye to eye. "Stay away from Sasuke," she hissed. "You don't deserve him, so stop seducing him or whatever you're doing you gay whore." Her eyes moved over his face. He was too pretty, that would have to change.

Naruto managed to laugh, and he kept the smile on his lips as he spoke so as to enrage Sakura further. "At least I'm not a girl with brute strength that acts like some obsessed_ guy,_" he whispered into her ear.

He relished in the red that rushed up her neck and colored her cheeks as she looked at him in uncontained rage. But she was a girl. She could play at this game of words too. She smiled back with a disgustingly sweet curl of the lips, and whispered to him just as softly. "Naruto Uzumaki…I actually feel sorry for you…"

Naruto snorted. The girl was jealous, that much was obvious. She wanted Sasuke.

"You know," Sakura said, "Sasuke has never liked anyone before. Or if he has, no one knows about them. You should feel lucky."

A true smile escaped Naruto at this. He _was_ lucky.

Sakura's voice cracked, and Naruto looked up just in time to catch a glimpse of tears in her eyes. "I just can't believe you can be so selfish."

Naruto's eyes widened, this was unexpected. He was perplexed both at the tears in Sakura's eyes and by what she could possibly be getting at. "What are you talking about?" he asked unsurely.

If Sakura could have grinned, she would've, but her sad mask must stay on.

"Sasuke and his brother are the heirs to Uchiha corp. Both of them are important people and one day Sasuke will grow up to be just like Itachi. He will be in the company, and will become one of the richest people in the country. But ever since _you _came, he's been acting weirdly. Akuma barely exists anymore because of you, and now he'll become a fag and weirdo like you as well."

'"_Sasuke will grow up to be just like Itachi__."' _Somehow, only that one sentence of Sakura's speech reached him.

Sasuke loved him. He would never leave him, he'd never hurt him like Itachi did…would he?

'"_Naruto…no one loves you but me…"' _

Itachi's words were all lies but Naruto had believed them. Just like he believed Sasuke. So that meant it was possible…that everything Sasuke said was a lie as well? Was he going to find out sometime in the not too distant future that everything would just come to a jarring halt? What if Sasuke grew bored of him and forgot about him...?

Sakura continued talking. Her tact was to make Naruto feel guilty and to leave Sasuke himself but unknowingly she was hurting him more than she could ever understand. "Sasuke used to be so popular with everyone," she said mournfully. "But ever since he started getting close to you, people have been saying things about him. Of course, he doesn't care, but how can you be so selfish?" Her voice bit at him like a snake. "No one wants you here. All you do is cause trouble."

'_I'm…not needed?'_

A part of him desperately tried to quench out the voice that was reprimanding him but it was too late, he was listening and he was losing.

'_Sasuke cares about me,'_ he chided himself again. But Sakura was right…he was so _selfish_.

'_Idiot! She wants you to think that way!'_

He shoved Sakura away from him. She gasped in anger down at him while he forced himself to look back up, trembling from the effort to keep his face calm.

"You aren't going to do this the easy way?" she said to him dangerously.

"I trust him…I'll never leave him, and he'll do the same for me," Naruto said. But the words cost him. He was sure that aching in his chest was his heart and that he couldn't take much more of this torture.

"I pity you, Uzumaki," Sakura whispered maliciously.

The metal pole had been picked back up and the attacks started again. He forced himself back to his feet and moved out of the way of the majority of them, until one smartly rapped him on his already injured left shoulder and he was backed into the nets.

He could taste blood in his mouth, probably from the first time the bat had got him on the head. Rain began to fall and he shivered as he was drenched to the skin. Across from him Sakura began muttering to the other girls and one of them lifted the bucket while another withdrew what seemed to be a lighter. Naruto looked at their faces, and in a rush of fear saw their intentions.

Why was he here?

'_Because I love Sasuke? Is it that wrong for me to be with him?'_

He slipped as he tried to pull himself up, using the net for support. The dirt beneath his feet had been churned to mud by the rain.

'_Sasuke. Where are you? Why haven't you found me yet? Do you really not care?'_

He closed his eyes as the bucket was lifted from the ground and he braced himself.

There was a _splash_.

He didn't feel anything other than the rain on his skin.

Barely daring to hope, he gently eased his eyelids open. He looked at the person who stood in front of him, now dripping with and reeking of gasoline. Dark eyes were filled with impossibly destructive anger.

'_Sasuke.'_

Sasuke's back was to him and he was saying something to Sakura and her girlfriends. Naruto didn't even bother to try and hear what he was saying, but he was certain that there was a malicious intent of unheard levels in Sasuke's voice. A content smile graced his lips and he allowed himself to slide down the nets to lay on the ground. He shivered in the cold and it hit him how amusing it was that every time something bad happened, Sasuke was always there for him.

'_Sasuke's here. He came. I'm safe…'_

With that thought in mind he let his eyes close.

* * *

NARUTO'S FLASHBACK

'_Ugh. My head hurts…'_

_Naruto forced his lidded eyes open and saw where he was. His eyes widened and he tried to pull himself up only to fall back onto the bed. He felt unexplainably tired._

"_Where the fuck am I?!" Last he remembered he'd been walking home with Gaara and the others after school. His eyes darted around and spotted the closed door. Doubling his efforts, he dragged himself to the edge of the King size bed and fell clumsily onto the carpeted floor. He seemed to be in a suite of sorts. Half dragging, half crawling, he managed to make it halfway to the door before it was slammed open._

_Naruto looked up into the eyes of the man in the door and he snarled. "You!"_

_Itachi Uchiha didn't say anything, but he did seem surprised that Naruto was on the floor. He bent down and in one swift motion, lifted Naruto up bridal style and dumped him back on the bed._

"_What the hell do you want?!" Naruto screeched as he tried to get back up. "I told you before to stay away from me!"_

_Itachi frowned slightly at the amount of noise Naruto was making and said, "Now, now, princess, no need to get all riled up."_

_Naruto hissed and his blue eyes flashed angrily. 'Who does this bastard think he is?'_

"_What__ do you want and who were those people that brought me here. They were on your orders weren't they? Who the fuck are you?"_

_He recoiled from the hand that came to cup his cheek. As Itachi's thumb moved over his lip he tried to bite it. Itachi quickly removed his hand and his eyes narrowed._

"_Naruto-kun," he said silkily, "I'm quite sick of these games. I'm sure you want me just as much as I want you."_

'_Conceited bastard,' Naruto thought._

"_You think too highly of yourself," he said coolly._

_Itachi stared at him for a moment, his black eyes focused on Naruto's blue orbs. Then with the agility and speed of a cat he moved forwards and had pinned Naruto back onto the bed. While Naruto was still trying to process his situation, he held his wrists down and straddled him on the thighs, stopping his movements._

"_Get. Off. Me," Naruto said slowly._

_Itachi smirked, and daringly moved forward to lick Naruto's neck. "No."_

_Naruto was beyond annoyed now. This asshole that had come into his life was just one big idiot on crack. He couldn't honestly expect him to take this lying down. Actually, that was probably exactly how he expected him to take it. _

_Well...if that was the case, then he had another thing coming._

_Itachi was still at his neck and Naruto jerked his body forwards. His shoulder connected with Itachi's face and he let out a derisive laugh as he saw the now bloody nose. "I'm not interested," he said, and to emphasize his point, he attempted to move his knee up and hit Itachi in a rather sensitive area._

_To his shock, Itachi put more weight down on him and he was now having difficulty breathing. A sharp sting suddenly pricked his right arm and he looked down to see a syringe in Itachi's hand._

"_What-what was that?" he gasped. He realized in fear that his vision was going blurry at an alarming rate and the strength was seeping from his body._

_Itachi threw the syringe to the side and swept his lips onto Naruto's after wiping the blood from his face. In horror, Naruto realized he didn't even have the ability to move away. Itachi spoke to him in between kisses. "Just – something to- make our time- together- more…enjoyable."_

_Naruto's eyes widened as a cold hand touched his waist and moved to his zipper. With all the strength he had remaining he bucked and Itachi fell off him to the side. Itachi growled and put a hand around his neck, squeezing lightly and further increasing Naruto's irregular breathing. "I am tired of you playing hard to get!" Itachi shouted, eyes flashing. "You will be mine!"_

_Naruto looked weakly up at him. 'This can't be happening. No…' _

_He'd undergone poverty and both mental and physical abuse. But rape…he wasn't sure if he'd be able to live through that. He'd had close calls before but he'd always been in a position to beat the shit out of the idiot. This time was different...this man wasn't some nobody, depsite what he'd said before, and now he was helpless._

_He tried to block out the movement of fingers and lips across his torso and at his neck. He squeezed his eyes shut._

_When the touching stopped abruptly, he reopened his eyes. Itachi was no longer above him but was standing at the door, seemingly arguing with someone._

"_You sick asshole! Don't fucking bring your toys back to our suite!" Naruto craned his head on the pillows to see a teenager with raven hair like Itachi's. His handsome face was furious and he seemed to be attempting to hold himself back from attacking the older man before him. 'Toy?' Naruto thought. He felt a stab to his pride and mind._

"_Little brother, why don't you just go and play," Itachi said calmly._

'_No,' Naruto thought. 'D__on't leave me here with him. Don't you dare leave me here with him.' He moved his hand weakly and tried to reach out towards the door and the person there._

_The stranger's eyes flicked momentarily to the figure on the bed, who was half hidden from him by Itachi and the messed up sheets. He saw the trembling hand clutching the sheets though, and he froze._

"_Itachi…you're not…" He glared at Itachi and hissed. "You are __**sick**__."_

_Itachi yawned lazily. "You've told me more times than I can count, Sasuke."_

"_You-"_

"_Just go, unless you'd much prefer to join us?" Itachi asked mockingly._

'_No…please…'_

_Sasuke seemed to be torn. "I hate you, you know that?" His eyes flickered to the person on the bed one last time before he exhaled in anger and left the doorway. Naruto felt his hope die, along with another part of him._

"_How does it feel to be abandoned?" Itachi whispered softly as he closed the door and returned to his side. Naruto couldn't answer, and Itachi smiled at the hollow blue his eyes had become._

"_Don't worry, you have me…only __**I **__love you." His hands moved to Naruto's legs, and he pulled at the waist of his jeans._

_Anger filled him as he heard the door reopen and he was about to give his foolish brother a piece of his mind when something hard hit him on the back of his head. Dazed, he began to fall. Another hit knocked him out._

_Jiraiya flourished the ceramic pot in his hand and glowered down at the unmoving body. "When will you idiot perverts get your priorities right and stop tagging after this flat chested thing!" He then looked at Naruto and he frowned. "Close one brat. Luckily I put that tracker on you this morning."_

* * *

The first thing Naruto noticed when he woke up was that it was no longer day, and the room was steeped in shadows. He had a sense of déjà vu as he moved on silky sheets. Only a single sliver of yellow light illuminated the room from the crack left in the bathroom door. He heard running water and realized who must be in there.

He was back in their lodge room. Through the window he could see that the earlier storm clouds had dissipated and the entire sky was now a scattering of stars on a deep, velvet backdrop. A full moon glowed from its throne beyond the stars.

'_So beautiful…'_

His eyes prickled with unshed tears and he smiled in happiness as a feeling of content warmed him like an epiphany. Sasuke had come for him. In his memory he may have left him, but he hadn't realized what was happening at the time or who he was. Naruto felt bad for thinking this way but Sasuke didn't love Itachi – he hated him, and Naruto was glad. At the same time he felt guilty for doubting Sasuke before. It had taken his most recent memory to finally convince him, and he'll spend the rest of his life making it up to Sasuke.

'_He isn't like Itachi at all. He's my Sasuke. I'm such an idiot, I should have known...'_

He needed Sasuke in his life. He was as important and necessary to him as breathing was.

He slipped his feet from the white sheets to the floor and walked slowly and silently towards the bathroom door.

* * *

Inside, the bathroom smelt overwhelmingly of fruity shampoo and conditioner. Sasuke stood underneath the steamy water emitting from the shower nozzle and let it run down his body in rivulets. It had taken a lot of washing to get all the gasoline out. Just thinking about the incident was sending vengeful thoughts to his head.

'_They hurt Naruto. No one is allowed to do that.'_

He was angry at himself for not finding Naruto earlier and for allowing him to get hurt. It had been his fault Sai had hurt him too. Whatever pain Naruto went through, Sasuke felt doubled in his guilt. He sighed as the water gently caressed him. Only god knew the unexplainable feelings he had for Naruto.

'_Is this all love?' _he pondered. Naruto could attract his attention in any way, even doing the most simplest things like eating would drive Sasuke into a frenzy. The way his lips moved when he chewed on his food, and their plump softness made Sasuke just want to devour them. And the way those impossibly bright eyes looked at him...

He looked down and groaned. He was getting turned on just by _thoughts_ of Naruto. Letting out a shuddering breath, he passed his hand over his semi-erect shaft while he leant on the side of the shower stall.

A splash startled him and he slowly turned around, not daring to believe.

His eyes locked onto sparkling sapphire and his mouth opened wordlessly.

Naruto was standing there before him, looking unsurely up at his face as though wondering whether he'd done the right thing. The blood was being cleaned from his hair by the water, making the water color temporarily before it was pure again. In Naruto's cerulean eyes Sasuke could see the love and lust. He felt something warm blossom in his own chest.

They stood like that for awhile, standing silently beneath the steady stream of water until Naruto was just as wet as Sasuke. Sasuke remembered where his hand was and he shifted it to Naruto's waist instead. Naruto took a sharp intake of breath as it moved up his translucent white shirt. The hand cupped his cheek and with a tenderness Naruto didn't know Sasuke possessed, the Uchiha moved upon him and his lips touched his like weightless feathers.

Sasuke wrapped both his arms around Naruto's smaller frame and Naruto moved his hands up around Sasuke's neck. The heat in there was now unbearable, and they were flushed from the steaming water.

'_Naruto…'_

Sasuke never thought he'd seen anything so endearing. Naruto's face as he looked up at him was purely innocent and filled with a complete trust. The wide blue eyes shimmered beneath dripping, golden locks. A faint blush dusted the tanned cheeks.

Naruto couldn't take his eyes off Sasuke's own face either. Sasuke's porcelain skin was flushed and his obsidian eyes were filled with a yearning hunger and passion. Naruto felt his heart flutter – he loved this man. Sasuke's dripping raven hair slid like liquid on his shoulder as he nuzzled into the crook beneath Naruto's chin and began sucking gently on the sensitive skin there. Naruto finally registered Sasuke's naked state and his blush intensified. Sasuke's chest was well toned and his body...his body was nothing less than that of some sex god.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke stopped nuzzling and moved his head back to see Naruto's face. Naruto felt his knees weaken as he looked into those dark eyes.

"What is it?"

"I…" He swallowed and averted his eyes. "Will you…?"

Sasuke's pulse sped up, but he wanted to hear Naruto say it and he egged him on with a mind blowing kiss. When they broke apart Naruto was clutching Sasuke's shoulders for support and had made up his mind.

"Sasuke..." he whispered. "Will you make me yours?" He buried his face into Sasuke's neck straight after from embarrassment.

Sasuke needed nothing else. He fiercely locked their lips again then lifted Naruto up. Naruto wrapped his legs around his waist and Sasuke turned the shower off before carrying him from the bathroom to the bedroom next door, dripping water all across the carpet.

He lowered the both of them onto his bed and he admired the beauty that was his Naruto. The light from the ajar bathroom door was thrown onto the bed and he could quite clearly see Naruto's heavy panting, and those enthralling eyes that were now glazed over with a misty sheen. The moist lips tempted him, and he kissed them with a needy groan.

Unhappy with the clothing that was still on Naruto, he undid the buttons on Naruto's shirt and slid it off, discarding the wet item to the side. He was surprised to discover that Naruto's chest was completely tan as well. His lithe waist was curved as much, if not more than a girl's and Sasuke longed to hold that slender form in his arms. The buckles and zippers on Naruto's pants and belt proved to be too difficult for him in his current, irrational state, and Naruto undid them himself. He did it painfully slowly, prolonging the moment on purpose and agitating the Uchiha to such a degree that he tore them off when they were at his knees and climbed on top of him.

Naruto smiled. "I was wondering what had happened to that possessive bastard."

Sasuke smirked and licked Naruto on the lobe of his ear. "You will always be my dobe."

_'I love you.'_

As expected, Naruto opened his mouth to protest and Sasuke forced his tongue into the warm cavern. After seeing that his protests were overruled, Naruto responded by allowing Sasuke to explore his mouth, occasionally entwining their tongues as the kiss deepened. His hand went up behind Sasuke's neck and he tangled his fingers into raven hair as he pulled himself closer, wanting more.

Sasuke took advantage of the distracted state of the blonde to hook a finger at the waistband of Naruto's boxers and remove them so that they were both finally completely naked. He revelled in the feeling of warm, smooth skin against him and breathed in Naruto's scent greedily.

Naruto felt some uneasiness at the way Sasuke was staring at him, but he was also finding it rather difficult to look away from the man above him. "You really are beautiful…" Sasuke said, his voice laced with awe as he looked at him. It would've been a compliment, if he hadn't followed it up instantly by, "If the proof wasn't here, I'd think you were a girl."

"Jeez, thanks," Naruto said dryly.

He was shocked when Sasuke suddenly dipped his head in between of his legs, and he panicked momentarily before he was engulfed by hot pleasure. He moaned in response. Sasuke removed Naruto's member from his mouth and grinned at the heaving blonde. "Did you like that?" he teased.

"Nhn..."

Naruto nodded and mewled as Sasuke did it again, taking him in his mouth and skillfully laying butterfly kisses up and down the shaft. He was rather disappointed when he heard Naruto groan suddenly and hot liquid spurted into his mouth, much too soon.

He lifted his head and wiped his mouth on the back of the hand. In amusement he saw Naruto so red in the face that it reached the roots of his hair. He kissed him on the forehead and whispered, "I'll be right back."

He climbed off the bed and went into the bathroom, leaving Naruto with a longing look on his face. He came back shortly with a bottle of what appeared to be lotion in his hands. Naruto raised an eyebrow questioningly and he said simply, "I don't want to hurt you." Naruto blushed – he was going to be on bottom after all.

Sasuke pushed Naruto back against the headboard and put one of the blonde's hands on his throbbing cock. Naruto seemed to understand what to do and he began to move it up and down, slowly at first until Sasuke was quivering with pleasure. Naruto's eyes widened as he looked at Sasuke's engorged length. Both desire and fear filled him and he wondered whether he could really take it.

But he needed Sasuke, so much…

"Sasuke, please…now…"

Sasuke nodded and held Naruto's hand in one of his as he leaned him back against the sheets and pillows. "It'll hurt at first, tell me if you want me to stop," he said softly. Of course, he didn't want to stop but he'd never do anything Naruto didn't want.

Naruto shook his head. "No, just take me already," he pleaded, and his widened blue eyes added a whole new meaning to 'puppy dog eyes'. He could tell his husky voice was turning the Uchiha on even more and he inwardly smirked.

Who was Sasuke to deny his beloved, especially when he was laying there flustered and naked, begging him to claim him. He unscrewed the lid of the lotion and poured a small amount onto his fingers. He kissed Naruto again, nibbling on his bottom lip in the hopes of distracting him and at the same time he pushed one of his fingers past Naruto's ring of muscles.

Naruto gasped into the kiss, followed by a whimper as the finger begin moving uncomfortably inside him. He'd never felt a sensation such as this before, and it was as erotic as it was alien. Just when he thought he'd gotten used to the strange feeling a second finger entered and the discomfort doubled. Sasuke softly hushed him as Naruto moved back from the kiss and his breath caught.

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut as the third finger entered and he was now pressing himself against the wall as he unconsciously tried to move away from the probing fingers. His hands clenched on the sheets as Sasuke began scissoring his fingers in and out rapidly, stretching Naruto's narrow passage. A startled yelp from Naruto made him look up and he grinned at the expression on the blonde's face.

"That…" Naruto shuddered in excitement.

Sasuke leaned in and licked the lobe of Naruto's ear. "That, _koi_," he whispered seductively as he pulled out his fingers, "was me hitting your prostate. I take it you liked it. Are you ready for the real thing?"

Naruto put his legs on either side of Sasuke's waist and to Sasuke's surprise he took the lotion from his hand. Naruto spurted out a huge amount of the stuff into his own palm before putting the bottle down on the cabinet next to the bed. He put his hands together so that both hands were covered then put them around Sasuke's anticipating member. Sasuke hissed as the cold liquid shot down his sensitive regions and Naruto snickered.

Naruto moved his hands up and down, gripping Sasuke's cock like a child with candy and thoroughly slathering it with lotion. Occasionally he leant down to blow shyly on the tip, marvelling at the shudder he'd elicit from Sasuke. Sasuke could tell he was enjoying the power he had. _'We'll see who the dominant one is soon,'_ he thought wickedly.

After Naruto gave a final pump Sasuke moved so quickly that he was a flash. Naruto was pinned onto his back and Sasuke smirked at the vulnerable – and suggestive- position his blonde was in, with his legs spread wide and a pout on his angelic, blushing face. He looked stunning.

Sasuke lifted Naruto's legs and placed the surprisingly slender and hairless limbs onto his shoulders. He leaned himself forwards so that his twitching member was pressing against Naruto's entrance. Naruto tensed against him and he said softly to him, "Relax."

"Easy for you to say," Naruto murmured. 'Have you seen how big you are?"

Sasuke chuckled and a thrill of adrenaline went through Naruto as he felt Sasuke begin to push into him. His eyes widened and he couldn't breathe as he was penetrated by something much, much larger than a couple of fingers, his entrance being stretched painfully and impossibly wide to accommodate the huge length. Sasuke had been right – it hurt. Soft whimpers and cries escaped him as Sasuke went deeper.

"Ahh...ah, Sasuke!"

Sasuke licked away the tears that were forming at the edges of Naruto's eyes, and felt his heart ache at the idea Naruto was feeling pain while he was in heaven. Naruto's muscles were molding to him perfectly, squeezing and compressing him in a blissful heat beyond his wildest imaginations. He longed to enter all at once but he controlled himself, going slowly so as to not hurt Naruto any more.

Naruto moaned. "Nhn...ah..."

Sasuke pulled Naruto's legs up higher on his shoulders, allowing him better access as he pushed deeper in.

"Oh my god, Naruto," he groaned, "You're so tight!"

Their union left them gasping for air and they basked in the feel of the other's body, both of them glistening with sweat. They couldn't have been anymore content than they were now. This was how it was meant to be, the two of them together.

Now completely sheathed in his blonde, Sasuke allowed Naruto a moment to adjust to his size before he tentatively pulled himself out a few inches and thrusted back in. Naruto jerked slightly below him, but nodded. Sasuke put his hands on Naruto's waist as he pulled himself completely out so that only his tip remained in the blonde, then went slamming forwards. Naruto cried out, whether from pain or from pleasure, he wasn't sure.

"Sasuke!"

Naruto reached his hand out and Sasuke held it. He felt Naruto's nails dig painfully into the back of his hand but he didn't care, he was so caught up in his movements. He sped up his thrusts and was gratified now that he was sure Naruto's moans were of pleasure. A cry told Sasuke that he'd hit Naruto's prostate again and he felt the body beneath him writhe. He slammed again and again into the body of the one he loved, feeling more euphoric than he could have believed was possible. He went down and connected their mouths, stealing another kiss. Naruto was his happiness…

"Ahh, nhn, Sasuke- more!"

Naruto...the only one ever to have been able to shatter his icy exterior...

"Sasuke!- please!"

The one he wished to stay with until time itself ended, and be his, forever...

"Ah!"

Sasuke thrusted even harder than before and a delicious cry tore from Naruto's throat. He moved his hand to Naruto's neglected member and began pumping it. This was almost too much for Naruto, and he began feeling light headed from the sheer heat running through him. The pain had long dissolved into pure ecstasy, and as his sweet spot was hit again he screamed. "SASUKE!"

"Naruto!" Sasuke moaned as he felt Naruto tighten around his cock and he released himself into the body below him before he collapsed on top of his blonde, exhausted. Both of them were covered in persperation and the results of their activities, Naruto having come at the same time over their stomachs.

"Sa..Sasuke," Naruto panted. He felt indescribably happy. He was Sasuke's now and Sasuke was his. His weakly put his forehead to Sasuke's, his eyes fluttered from exhaustion and he gasped, "I love you."

Sasuke withdrew his limp member out of Naruto and pulled the tired blonde into his chest. He kissed him deeply then lay down behind him and wrapped his arms around his lover, pulling him into a warm and sticky embrace. Naruto was still panting heavily against him and Sasuke held him there, protecting his precious person from the world.

"I love you too," he whispered as he pulled the sheets over their bodies. Naruto smiled in joy and Sasuke felt an enormous burden be lifted from his shoulders. Everything was alright now. Naruto was falling asleep in his arms and Sasuke smiled as well before he closed his own eyes.

Outside their window the cloudless night sky lay witness to them. Stars sparkled benignly at the two lovers falling asleep in each others arms and for now, everything was as it should be.

* * *

I cannot believe I wrote that. My first lemon and it ended up being...LONG! This is the longest chapter I've ever written. Please REVIEW!! You know I love reviews (insert pouting face).

**Note about next chapter:** Well. It is my sad duty to inform you that in high school, there exists something called exams. As a high school student I am unfortunately not yet free from this and so you will find that for the sake of my good grades I won't be writing the next chapter of this story for awhile. I originally had planned on giving this chapter later, but I decided that leaving you with something sweet is better than a cliffhanger.  
I hope you understand. The next chapter will be released with a separate one-shot spinoff story. The spin-off has the same characters from this story, and will be called

**K** i s s.** M **e . **S **t u p i d - **K **a k a s h i 's **P** l a y.

Again, sorry about this (and sorry for the existance of exams).

Michiyami.

P.S- If you don't review, I don't update XP It is a deal between author and reader. I think it's fair (evil cackle)

P.P.S- New poll up in my profile. SasuNaru lovers, go crazy.


	18. When Night And Day Meet

Thank you everyone for being so patient. The other spin-off story that I said will be released will be uploaded in a couple of days once I've finished checking. As for my exams...they are over, so joy! I have a poll in my profile for a new SasuNaru story, so please vote there if you want to contribute to my next story :3

" "- talking

' '_- thinking_

_Thoughts/Memories/Dreams_

* * *

_**--Chapter Eighteen—**_

_**--When Night And Day Meet—**_

The room held a pleasant warmth from the afterglow of the love that had taken place. Morning light bathed the cream-white walls, and the gentle dripping of a tap came from the ajar bathroom door. On one of the two large beds in the room, two still figures lay beneath duvets and blankets.

With his head facing sideways on his pillow, Sasuke ran a thumb across a tan cheek and his eyes focused softly on the boy across from him. One of his arms lay possessively over the other's waist. Naruto was still sleeping and Sasuke didn't disturb that. He was content with just laying there and watching the blonde slumber as the sunlight shone on them from the window. A smile lifted Naruto's lips even in his sleep, and Sasuke just watched and marveled.

The feel of smooth, warm skin against his own was satisfying and calming. Their lovemaking had satiated his lust for now, and all he could feel was a heavy, pounding love. The preceding night's events were as clear as though it were a memory he was reminiscing over and over in his mind, and truly, that was probably exactly what he'd do. And Naruto…

_I love you._

Naruto shuffled in his sleep and murmured incoherently. Sasuke froze completely, waiting for sparkling blue eyes to open. However, Naruto merely settled into his embrace once again and amused, Sasuke shook his head at the childish behaviour.

Faint footsteps could be heard in the hallway outside and Sasuke realized that they would be expected to be at breakfast. Reluctantly, he sat upright then pulled the blonde into his chest. The movement awoke Naruto and his eyes finally snapped open sleepily.

Those eyes focused on Sasuke's, and Naruto's lips lifted into a smile.

"Morning," he murmured as he lifted his fingers up to stroke Sasuke's locks.

Sasuke kissed him deeply on the lips- they were just begging to be touched. "Morning."

"Breakfast?" Naruto asked questioningly, as a yawn racked his body.

"Breakfast," Sasuke agreed. His arms tightened and he pulled Naruto closer so that their chests were pressing. "And maybe you after," he whispered huskily.

_I'm so glad…_

Naruto re-initiated the kiss that Sasuke had started, their hands moving across skin and their lips locked.

_I'm happy…_

Sasuke groaned needily into Naruto's mouth, and Naruto's eyes half closed as he savored Sasuke's taste.

_A__s long as I'm with you…_

Naruto smirked into the kiss as he felt Sasuke's bared length getting hard beneath him, and he half intended to solve that problem for him.

…_nothing else matters._

Sasuke sneakily slid a hand beneath the sheets but his quest was untimely stopped.

KNOCK KNOCK.

"OI! YOU TWO! BREEEEAAKFAST!"

"Kiba…" Sasuke growled as he turned his head towards the door. Naruto felt the arms around him twitch and he couldn't help but chuckle. He pulled Sasuke's chin back to face him.

"Come on," he said. "We are _not_ doing that now. I'm hungry." He slid himself out of Sasuke's loosened arms and edged towards the end of the bed. Sasuke sat and watched with interest as the naked blonde stood up. Naruto cried out as a sharp pain shot up his abdomen and Sasuke was there to catch him as he buckled, a proud smirk on his handsome features.

Naruto winced, and flushed as he looked up at the Uchiha. "It hurts…you bastard! You're actually liking this aren't you?!"

"You wanted it," Sasuke said innocently. He swept Naruto up and put him back on the bed, earning another wince as Naruto's back arched. He stood before the blonde, giving Naruto an eyeful of his pride and joy. "I'll tell them you're sick, and I'll get breakfast sent up," he said. "Just stay here today. I'll sort everything out."

Naruto sat up and tried to get back on the ground. "I'm fine, and we're going to be leaving tomorrow!" He protested as he tried to push past Sasuke. His aching body dissented and he glared at the Uchiha as though it were all his fault. "If you hadn't been like some animal on heat…" he growled.

"Don't make me tie you down," Sasuke warned. _'Kinky thoughts, kinky thoughts…'_

Naruto pouted, then crossed his arms and looked away. "Fine," he grumbled, "but I want ramen."

Sasuke nodded and walked towards the bathroom. Naruto's eyes darted to his muscled body and frame, and further down to-

"It's rude to stare, dobe," Sasuke called smugly without looking back. The bathroom door closed and Naruto was left alone to ponder the unbelievable pain in his ass, as well as the unbelievable ass that had just closed a door on him.

When Sasuke came back out fully dressed he found Naruto had fallen asleep again. He pulled the duvet back up to cover his body and gazed at the sleeping face again.

He smiled as he stroked a hand through golden locks.

'_What did I ever do to deserve you…?'_

* * *

_--Elsewhere--_

A blonde man groaned as he was thrown against a wall of the warehouse. He connected painfully with the brick before falling to the ground. His pained eyes darted desperately around, looking for the way out.

A man appeared before him and he panicked.

"No! Let me go, please-!"

"You're not getting away…"

The man shuddered and stop moving when a knife came to rest above his wrist and another hand went to grab a handful of his dull, blonde locks. He whimpered and began convulsing as a finger slid down his neck.

"Naruto-kun…"

He shook his head and screamed in a cracked voice, "I'm not-"

The hand in his hair jerked his head back and he was forced to look into dark eyes. This man…

"Your eyes," the unknown man murmured. "They're…"

'…_Brown…Not blue…'_

In anger, he took a tighter grip on the blonde hair and pulled him to his face.

"You're not him," he hissed.

A scream echoed through the warehouse.

* * *

Sasuke smirked to himself as he walked alone down the stairs towards the diner's room. He couldn't help but feel a touch of pride coupled with guilt, because it was _he_ that had caused Naruto's current inability to walk.

'_I probably __**was**__ like an animal on heat,'_ he thought sheepishly. But that was what happened after months of lusting after a certain blonde.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed but he didn't stop his strides. A growl rumbled in the back of his throat. The first person he saw after being with Naruto just had to be-

"Sasuke-kun, wait!"

Sakura huffed as she finally caught up with the raven and she latched herself onto his arm. A white bandage ran up one of her own arms, and Sasuke wondered why the bitch still hadn't got the message yet.

"Sasuke-kun, do you want to go out today? It's our last day-"

"No," Sasuke retorted shortly. "Get off my arm."

"But Sasuke-kun, I-"

Without warning Sasuke grabbed the wrist of the hand on his arm and twisted it around. Sakura shrieked and Sasuke uttered dangerously, "I said no."

Ignoring the stung and upset expression on her face, he released her and began walking again. A splintered voice from behind shouted, "What do you see in him!? He's a faggot and –"

She was cut short as Sasuke's hand closed around her throat and she gasped. The two of them stood precariously on the spiral staircase.

"I never want to hear anything about him from your mouth again," Sasuke warned viciously. His low voice dripped with malice. His eyes bore piercingly into her skull, threatening and unforgiving.

Her eyes widened in fear and she nodded. Sasuke released her and continued down the stairway to the dining room, while she watched him with hurt in her eyes.

When Sasuke arrived at the room the first thing he did was arranged with the cook for some food he could take up later to Naruto. He got his own breakfast and began eating at one of the tables, thinking all the while.

He'd only been eating for a few seconds when Kiba, Shikamaru and Neji sat down opposite him. Kiba was grinning and Sasuke felt it upon him to get rid of it. He didn't do anything though, before Kiba suddenly latched onto his arm in a very Sakura-like manner.

"Oh, Sasuke!" Kiba exulted in a dramatized voice, swooning.

Even the voice sounded like the pink-haired girl…

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sasuke asked in repulsion. He could feel the hair rising on the back of his neck with Kiba's next words.

"Isn't it obvious Sasuke? I luuuuuurrrrveeeee you!" Kiba crooned in the same voice. And he began nuzzling his cheek up and down Sasuke's arm.

"Cut it out, one Sakura is enough," Sasuke shuddered, and he pressed a hand to Kiba's forehead to shove him off.

"Sakura?" Kiba said quizzically in his normal voice as he straightened and looked at him. He raised an eyebrow and tittered, "If I was impersonating Sakura, I would have said Sasuke-_kun_."

Sasuke stopped as he was reaching for his tea, realizing it was true.

"Then who were you impersonating?" he asked in confusion. Kiba's mouth split into an evil grin.

"You and Naruto weren't exactly quiet last night," Shikamaru said informatively.

Sasuke paled and set his tea down. "You mean…"

"Yes," Neji said tonelessly. "We heard you fucking Naruto into the mattress."

Sasuke didn't flush, but he did feel a sense of outrage. _'They were eavesdropping!'_

"Hey, it wasn't our fault the walls here aren't insulated well," Kiba said hastily as he sensed the vibes beginning to radiate.

"So what are you planning on doing now?" Shikamaru said to him.

"What do you mean what am I going to do now?"

Sasuke looked at Shikamaru strangely. What was that supposed to mean? Shikamaru asked way too many questions.

"Well," Shikamaru said slowly, "are you going to tell everyone for starters?"

Sasuke was quiet for a moment as he thought. "Other people don't need to know," he said coldly. He didn't want anything like another Sakura happening to Naruto. It was none of their business.

"Don't you think Naruto deserves that right at least?" Neji said suddenly, and he shot a cold glare at Sasuke. "Or is it too much for your pride to let people know?"

"This isn't about my pride," Sasuke hissed at him, stung.

"Then why don't you want anyone to know?" Neji's eyes flashed.

"I don't want anyone to hurt him-"

"You can protect him can't you? If you've decided that no one will hurt him, then no one will."

"That- I won't be there all the time…"

"So you want him to be in a relationship with you without letting anyone else know? Selfish bastard-"

"It is better that way," Sasuke said through gritted teeth.

Neji eyed him seriously and anger radiated from the Hyuuga heir. "Did you ever think about the future?" he said lowly. "Are you expecting Naruto to be with you in secret for the rest of your lives, like some toy? Unless of course, you don't plan on staying with him…"

Sasuke's fist connected with the table. Neji glared at him, unfazed. "Did I touch a nerve Sasuke? Or the truth?" he uttered menacingly.

"Stay out of this," Sasuke growled. "It is mine and Naruto's decision."

Neji's piercing eyes gazed at him, delving into his very soul. "You know that Naruto would agree with what you decide," he said lowly.

Sasuke bit his lip and looked away. He was right. Even if Naruto didn't want to he would not tell anyone as long as he, Sasuke, decided that no one else was to know. Naruto was like that. He put others before himself.

Sasuke would be condemning Naruto to a life of whispers behind his back, and he'd be unprotected too. Because no one would know that he was with Sasuke, he would therefore just be someone that others would take advantage of, thinking he would be unable to retaliate…

"I can't do that to him," he whispered to himself.

Neji nodded in satisfaction. "Damm right you won't."

* * *

"Hey."

Neji turned around at the voice. He straightened and looked curiously at the person addressing him from the door of his room.

"Gaara."

Gaara nodded. Neji saw that his eyes weren't hostile like they'd always been before. They were…satisfied?

"What is it?" he asked.

"I saw what you did for Naruto at breakfast," Gaara said. "I'm grateful."

Neji sighed and waved it off. "It isn't your place to say that," he said.

Gaara shook his head, and his lips twisted into a somewhat bitter smile. "Whatever happens to Naruto concerns me as much, because I had promised to protect him," he said. "And I'll do that."

"…He's lucky to have a friend like you," Neji said finally.

Gaara shook his head. "No. It was my luck to have ever met him."

Neji didn't know what to say. _'He sounds like he's accepted Sasuke and Naruto, but he's still attached.' _He knew the feeling- it wasn't enjoyable.

"Come on," he sighed. "Do you want to go to lunch with me?"

* * *

_--Night--_

Naruto grumbled as he left the room. He was dressed in a loose shirt and comfortable slacks that didn't provoke the pain in his abdomen, but it didn't stop him limping slightly. When he'd woke up to find his room and the sky dark, he'd freaked to say the least. He silently cursed Sasuke for single-handedly making him unable to walk, then leaving him alone in the room all day.

'_Leave it to Sasuke to be a bastard the day after he says he loves me,' _he thought heatedly. _'Who knew it was even possible for me to sleep 17 hours…and he didn't even wake me!'_

He grumbled some more as he walked past the empty stairways and the deserted entrance hall of the hotel.

'_Where is everyone?'_he thought as he realized there wasn't a person in sight.

He noticed a man behind the hotel registry and he went over. He leant over the counter to get his attention and asked, "Do you know where everyone is?"

The man started and looked up at him. "Oh, I guess you don't know, not coming from around here," he said conversationally.

'_If I did I wouldn't be asking,' _Naruto thought irritably without comment.

"They should be down near the shore or at the celebrations in town. Tonight is one of our tourist festivals, and it'll probably be packed this time around," he said. "I'd suggest going to the beaches, they're setting off fireworks from one of the islands later. I'd go too if I didn't have to work."

Naruto nodded his thanks and left. _'Festival huh? If I missed this because of Sasuke, I'd kill him..'_

The man had been right. No sooner had Naruto walked for 5 minutes in the direction of the town was he swamped by a huge crowd. He scowled to himself as he was jostled by people. It was too dark to see people's faces, even with the colored lanterns hanging in strings overhead. Stalls lined the streets, and music wafted through the air as people laughed and enjoyed themselves.

'_I'm not going to find them here…' _Naruto thought in frustration as he looked around the crowds helplessly. He remembered what the man had told him about fireworks and he nodded to himself.

'_I'll go to the shore.'_

The crowds began to thin out the closer he went towards the shores. It seemed that either not many people knew about them, or the fireworks wouldn't be starting for awhile. The path to the shore was illuminated by glowing lanterns similar to the ones that had been in the town. By the time he reached the familiar hill where he'd escaped to before, he was alone.

He looked out over the sea and to the right he could see an island bright with lights. _'That must be the island where the fireworks will come from,'_ he thought.

The atmosphere seemed alive. Naruto breathed in the salty, sea air gratefully, and watched with wonder at the fireflies floating around the luscious, green tree also hung with lanterns behind him. He smiled to himself and sat down on the grassy hill slope like before.

If he'd thought that the ocean had been beautiful during the day, he was enraptured by its splendor at night.

By day, the ocean sparkled a hundred different shades of blue, green and aqua. Beneath the sun, the water's surface reflected a dazzling mirror of sparkling colours and light. The sea was lively, creatures swam within it's translucent depths, and white crested waves broke in cascades on the shore. It was a cerulean blue spreading to meet it's parallel at the horizon. Pure white clouds floated above it, for as far as the eye could see.

By night the clouds had faded into a grey-white, and glowed with the ethereal ambience of the full moon. The sea kept it's secrets now – the water glimmered silver where the broken moonbeams struck the rippling surface, but the rest of the sea murmured a pitch black. The silver waves were analogous to the stars in the velvet night- a world of quiet, dark secrets, and cold, rare beauty.

Day and night- polar opposites on this earth.

But even day and night met at dawn and dusk, and when that happened, the light bled into the darkness, or the darkness bled into the night, and both became something that they could never be alone.

Naruto's thoughts were broken and a scream was muffled in his mouth as a hand covered it.

'_Shit, shit, oh my god, kidnappers!' _he thought in panic as he thrashed.

"Shh. Dobe. It's me." The hand released him.

Naruto leapt to his feet and turned around. "Sasuke!" he yelled, both relieved and enraged.

Sasuke moved away from the punch that would have otherwise connected with his chin. "What was that for?" he asked in confusion.

"For letting me sleep 17 hours!" Naruto screeched, and he tried another punch, only to be blocked.

"How is that my fault…?"

"It is, because you didn't wake me!"

"…Idiot."

"Gah, you-"

A hand grabbed his arm and pulled him forwards, while another snaked around his waist. Naruto was forced to look at Sasuke, captured by the sparkling light reflected in his eyes. Deep…dark…his…

Sasuke moved his arms to encircle Naruto's arms as well, and Naruto sighed as he pressed himself closer. Damn Sasuke and his bastard nature.

"You're an idiot," Sasuke said, "but I love you all the same."

Naruto's eyes widened. Sasuke didn't see them, he was murmuring distractedly into Naruto's hair.

"I've really fallen hard for you, Naruto," he spoke softly. His voice hesitated as he sighed, and he closed his eyes. "You've got me. You've got me chained to you and thinking about you every moment I'm awake. That chain isn't breaking anytime soon, so you're stuck with me too."

'_Sasuke…Sasuke's confessing…?'_

"Sasuke," Naruto began to say, "I know-"

"I've thought about this," Sasuke continued, pressing a finger to Naruto's lips. He looked Naruto seriously in the eyes. God…those eyes… "And I've decided that I don't care if other people know about us. The whole world can know, and nothing will change. Naruto Uzumaki…I love you, and nothing and no-one will ever be able to change that."

Naruto felt himself slacking in Sasuke's arms and warmth. "Are you for real…?" he said to him weakly.

Sasuke pulled back from him and reached into a pocket in his jacket. Naruto watched curiously and his eyes widened as he pulled out a small, dark blue box between his fingers. Sasuke opened the lid of the box, and extracted a long, silver chain from where it had nestled on a bed of deep velvet. On the end of the fine chain dangled a small, jewel encrusted fan – the Uchiha familys' crest.

He re-pocketed the empty box and gripped Naruto's hand. "Naruto..." He took a deep breath, fidgeting with the chain in his hands.

"I know this is far from a proposal," he said, "but I promise to love only you, forever. And one day, when we're both out of school… I'll marry you." He held up the necklace hanging between his fingers.

"This is the symbol of my family," he said nervously. "It's why I was away all day, getting this… I want you to have it so that everyone will know that you're mine, and so that you will remember that you'll always have me."

'_You're never alone.'_

Naruto stared at the necklace. _'He…this is for real.' _This was reality. Sasuke, the person that he loved more than he'd ever loved in his life, was binding himself to him. It was too much. Naruto felt tears prickling at the edges of his eyes, and he struggled to hold them back.

'_This is more than I ever could have dreamed for.'_

The tears broke through and slipped down his cheeks. He tried to turn away to hide them, but Sasuke stopped him.

Sasuke kissed his tears away, tracing their trails down to Naruto's lips. "Baka…" Sasuke murmured.

Naruto pulled his arms free and threw them over Sasuke's shoulders and around his neck. "Thank you," he whispered. His hands tightened their grip. "Thank you, Sasuke…"

'_You were unreachable. Everything had always been unreachable.'_

'_But I reached you. You accepted me, like no one else had ever before.'_

'_Even now, you won't stop surprising me...why?…how? Sasuke, why me?'_

Sasuke slipped the chain around Naruto's neck, and clasped it at the back. Naruto's fingers went to hold the sparkling pendant as Sasuke kissed him chastely on the lips.

'_This isn't some dream…this is better than any dream could ever be.'_

"Idiot, you've made _me_ happy," Sasuke said with a grin. Tears still shined in Naruto's eyes, and he frowned. "Why are you crying?"

"I didn't ever think that you would accept me," Naruto said quietly. "Especially…when you found out about Itachi." He sniffed and whispered, "You're the most perfect thing that's ever happened to me."

Sasuke chuckled and hugged him tighter. "Dobe, how could you forget?" he said in his ear. "I love you, and I hate _him_. Don't you remember what I told you about Akuma?"

'_We have only one goal…we want Akatsuki gone…Itachi is the leader of Akatsuki….'_

Naruto's mouth dropped. "I forgot!"

Sasuke hit him gently on the head. "As expected," he smirked. "But don't change…the Naruto I know and love is an idiot."

"Whom only an idiot would love," Naruto said as he rolled his eyes.

"Exactly."

Fizzing, crackling sounds exploded from the right. Both their heads turned, and Naruto shouted excitedly, "Sasuke, the fireworks are starting!" He turned his body around to look at the multi-coloured glittering explosions of sparks in the sky before them.

Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto and pulled them down to the ground in sitting positions with Naruto in front of him. He rested his chin on Naruto's shoulder. "I'd keep watching if I were you," he said knowingly.

Naruto gave him a quizzical look. When he'd returned his eyes to the sky his jaw dropped. Sparkling letters had somehow been written into the night sky to form a flickering message:

'_Naruto – I love you. Sasuke.'_

Naruto turned around and pushed Sasuke onto his back on the grass. He leant down, his eyes brighter than the ocean and brimming with shock and love. "I don't know how you did that, but I love you too," he whispered.

Sasuke put his hands on Naruto's waist and sat back up. Naruto adjusted and sat in his lap with his legs on either side of Sasuke's waist. "I normally don't like you being on the top," Sasuke told him with a smirk, "but I think I'll make an exception for this."

They both moved forwards and their lips met tenderly. They moved slowly against each other, opening their mouths to breathe into their kiss and allow their tongues to entangle and bring them even more contact. Naruto's hands wound around behind Sasuke's neck, and Sasuke's arms wrapped around Naruto's waist.

When day and night met…the sky cleared.

* * *

Thank you everyone for being patient, and sorry it took so long to get this out. Hope you enjoyed it, even though it was mostly fluff. However...this story is far from over. I estimate it will probably finish at around 30 chapters. Tell me if there are mistakes in this chapter please.

Vote in poll please! The poll will be blind until chapter 25 of this story, but I WILL tell you which ones are winning each chapter.

REVIEW!! AND THANK YOU EVERYONE, OVER 700 REVIEWS!!


	19. Itachi's Disappearance

Note: As you may have noticed, my updates have become wider apart for the past few chapters. I'm really sorry about that, there have been lots of things happening and which will probably be stopping the quick updates I used to do. I'll still update of course, but it'll take longer. The one shot has also been postponed indefinitely.

Warning: Some fluff, no lemon for this chapter. There will be another one before the end of the story.

" "- talking

' '_- thinking_

_Memories/Flashbacks/Dream Sequence_

* * *

_**--Chapter Nineteen—**_

_**--Itachi's Disappearance--**_

Naruto and Sasuke descended the steps of the lobby with their bags in one hand and their remaining hands clasped together. Whispers and murmurs filled the entrance hall as all the other students who'd already assembled with their luggage turned to face the new arrivals.

Girls glared hatred at Naruto, which only intensified and broke out into vindictive hisses when they saw the sparkling, charm necklace hanging from his slender neck. Several boys glared and sniggered at the pair of them but didn't say or do anything. Sasuke's grip had tightened on Naruto's as he steered the blonde down the path past the fountain towards the bus.

He noticed that Naruto was avoiding looking up, and he felt the hand within his own shake slightly. He tightened his grip reassuringly. "Don't worry," he said firmly with a sigh. He stopped walking and turned to the blonde. "Nothing's going to happen," he told him.

Naruto finally lifted his head and Sasuke's heart clenched as he saw the azure eyes flickering with anxiety. "You don't know Sasuke…" he said in a soft voice. "I don't want them to do the same thing to you. I'm used to it, but-"

Sasuke dropped his bag and pulled Naruto roughly to him. His hand held the back of Naruto's head, tugging him towards him in a clumsy yet comforting embrace. Naruto's own bag dropped to the ground with a 'thump.' His eyes flickered over Sasuke's shoulders to the other people watching, their mouths opening in disbelief…

"Let them try" Sasuke growled, and Naruto turned back to see his obsidian eyes flashing. "If they do anything, I'll-"

"_-_make sure they can't make the same mistake twice."

Five people who were even later than the pair of star crossed lovers stopped on the path before the two. Shikamaru yawned and winked at them, then said in a quieter, lethal voice, "They'll stay away if they know what's good for them."

All whispering was replaced by a deadly silence. Seven of the Akuma now stood before the crowd, powerhouses in each their own right. The glares thrown by Kiba and Neji held back the torrent of outraged disapproval.

Sasuke breathed an inward sigh of relief as Naruto smiled. _'Finally,'_ he thought.

A worried Naruto worried Sasuke, and when Sasuke was worried, then all perpetrators of his precious blonde may as well kiss the day goodbye.

* * *

The seven of them went home with Tsunade and Jiraiya. The two had remained in Northside for the rest of the vacation and it was much more convenient than travelling with the rest of the grade. Lee, Neji, Chouji and Shikamaru went with Tsunade.

The back of Jiraiya's car was an explosion of raucous laughter which the man occasionally joined in or added fuel to. Naruto and Kiba enjoyed a rather violent game on the console connected to the car, while Sasuke sat in the front with the perverted hermit.

A slender eyebrow twitched as yet again, a mechanical explosion sounded through the vehicle from the back and Kiba and Naruto's boisterous voices drilled themselves into Sasuke's ears.

"You'd think," he said, trying to suppress his annoyance wearing thin, "that after 2 hours, you'd try and do something else?" The two in the back didn't answer, but there was another fizzing from the screen.

"Leave them be," Jiraiya said in an approving, fatherly fashion. He grinned, "Not all time that isn't spent molesting my godson is a waste."

"I heard that ero-sennin!"

Jiraiya laughed while Sasuke seethed, since what Jiraiya said was perfectly contradictory to what he felt. He rolled the window all the way down and leant close to it, letting the whistling wind blow his hair back.

"Hey, a bit of consideration for the two in the back?" Jiraiya said loudly over the wind as he looked into the mirror. The two in the back were being buffered, Kiba more so than Naruto.

Surprisingly, their hands remained firmly latched to the console.

Sasuke jumped when a crash even louder than the ones before came, and he realized that they'd turned the volume up to be audible over the noise from the window.

'_No more consoles!' _his roared internally.

He scanned the many buttons that Jiraiya had in the front of the car for all sorts of uses. He flicked one that looked right.

"EYAHHHH!! TEME, WHAT DID YOU PRESS?!"

He'd stopped the explosions and console alright. But he'd turned on the TV, playing the disk which Jiraiya had been watching last. Low, female moans and screams enunciated from the speakers.

Naruto cowered into his seat and screwed his eyes shut, and Kiba roared (somewhat appreciatively), "YA OLD HENTAI!" at Jiraiya.

* * *

'_Home, sweet, home.'_

Naruto threw his bag to the side before throwing himself onto his bed. He grabbed his pillow, inhaling the familiar scent in the sheets deeply and sighed. His hand went up to clutch the necklace around his neck again. He'd traced its shape so many times that he now knew its every detail in his mind – the small rubies and sapphires that encrusted the pendant, separated by a raised line of hard metal, and the cold, smooth edges that slid away from this fingers as they rounded towards the top of the fan shape.

'_From Sasuke…'_

The necklace was their promise.

* * *

_--Sasuke's House—_

Six people sat in the living room. Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, Sasuke and Naruto were there, and by invitation, Gaara.

Gaara sat in one of the single armchairs. Naruto and Sasuke were on a larger one, and Neji and Shikamaru took the other single armchairs. Naruto leant on his elbows at his side of the chair with his legs behind him on the sofa, refusing to let Sasuke try anything derogatory with so many people around.

Disgruntled, Sasuke sat sourly on his side.

The meeting was about Itachi . He'd seemingly disappeared from Konoha altogether.

Silently seething, Sasuke watched the others as they debated the possible whereabouts of the other Uchiha, what Akatsuki's next move was, and other things that right now seemed to Sasuke to be utterly futile.

The older Uchiha was no beginner at this game of cat and mouse. It was almost as if he knew how much Sasuke longed to shred him limb from limb, and had befittingly hidden himself. He was more experienced than them too, and there was moreover the hesitating question of what would they do once Itachi was truly in their grasp. Killing him was out of the question, but then, handing him over to the officials would be too- it did not abide with the workings of the Underworlds.

"Sasuke."

Sasuke jerked his head upwards. Shikamaru had stood up.

"I'm going to see if I can find anything on Itachi's computer," he said.

Sasuke gave him a curt nod as permission and Shikamaru went up the stairs. He was perfectly familiar with the huge mansion, having been there countless times.

Naruto noticed the frown marring Sasuke's features, and he abandoned his side of the sofa to settle next to Sasuke. Sasuke shifted to accommodate him in his arms, and Naruto looked at his face. Sasuke's eyes had taken that distant look which meant he was deep in thought. Naruto longed to know what it was that was troubling him, but he didn't say anything for the moment.

--_Upstairs--_

Shikamaru typed away at the keyboard, alone in the large bedroom. The room was painted a chilling shade of greyish blue, and everything about it seemed to have an eerie quality to it, from the sinisterly wafting curtains to the small, intricate glass statues on the desk in front of Shikamaru.

Shikamaru wouldn't be surprised in the least if Itachi had booby-trapped the room. Instead, he concentrated on whizzing through the many files on the screen in front of him. The hard-drive itself was clean, containing very little or nothing with which Shikamaru could manage to do anything.

Then he decided to look in the other drives, and realised that there was a CD in one drive. Mentally hitting himself for not looking sooner, he eagerly opened the CD on the computer, only to have the entire screen implode with numbers as the virus was released.

'_Oh shit.'_

--_Downstairs--_

The sight of Sasuke and Naruto so close together didn't affect Gaara as much as he'd expected it too.

Perhaps Itachi's disappearance was plaguing his mind unconsciously, he was so bent on revenge. Unlike Sasuke, he had the intention to kill.

'_It is what I've been living for.'_

Or perhaps, maybe his indifference was due to another reason. The way his green eyes would unintentionally slide from Naruto and Sasuke to the left. They would settle on ebony black for but a moment, before ivory white eyes would dart his way and he'd turn away once more, as nonchalant as before.

'_Perhaps.'_

* * *

"What do you mean the virus destroyed everything?!"

Shikamaru placed a hand on the back of his head and scratched guiltily. "Exactly what I said, its deleted everything," he told them again.

Naruto watched Sasuke's knuckles turn white as his nails dug into the sofa.

* * *

_--Few days later, Last Period--_

As he scribbled down notes from the board in maths and sneaked chats with Kiba beneath Zabuza's nose, Naruto also chanced to constantly flicker his gaze across to Sasuke. Sasuke faced the front stiffly, but Naruto could see that there was no recognition going across those eyes.

Sasuke was deep in thought about something, mauling and being depressed yet again like the past few days.

"I'm nervous, what if she says no," Kiba babbled in a stream from beside Naruto.

Naruto shook his head and laughed. Kiba, playboy and idiot to boot, was tagging after some poor, innocent girl in their grade. _'I've got to be there when he asks,' _he mentally made a note.

There was a punch on his shoulder and he scowled.

"Are you even listening to me!?" Kiba said hysterically. A few neighbouring eyes looked their way, and away again as Zabuza broke his chalk on the board.

"I'm listening! But there's no point confessing your love to me, go confess to _her_," he said with a snort.

"Brat," Kiba scoffed.

"Naruto Uzumaki, solve the question on the board."

Naruto turned around and looked guiltily into the teacher's slitted eyes. _'Uh oh.' _How he hated calculus.

'_What do I know about limits…err…as x approaches infinite….log x over x approaches…'_

Kiba nudged him in the ribs. "Zero!" he hissed.

"Zero."

Zabuza narrowed his eyes. "I suppose you _were _listening then." He flicked his chalk towards another person. "Sasuke Uchiha. Come up to the board to solve this one."

Sasuke looked at the teacher and bequeathed him a nasty glare before standing and walking down the steps to the front. Naruto watched Sasuke solve the question astonishingly neatly on the board, whilst he himself lost what was happening after the second line.

When Sasuke was on the tenth line or so of his working, something heavy and sharp hit Naruto in the back of the head.

"OW!"

"Mr Uzumaki!" Zabuza said sharply.

"Sorry," Naruto mumbled. When Zabuza looked away he turned around furiously. A boy with light blue hair made a victory sign and smirked at him, mouthing the word _fag_.

'_Why you…' _

He'd had idiots bad mouthing him constantly for the past few days, but right now, he was _not_ in the mood. Naruto picked up the metal sharpener that was the cause of his throbbing head and pelted it back at it's owner- Sakon, who didn't dodge quick enough as it connected with his tattooed face.

"You little piece of shit!" Sakon roared nasally.

'_WHO ARE YOU CALLING LITTLE?!'_

Naruto growled and was halfway up from his chair, Kiba's hand on his shoulder, when a piece of chalk went flying past them at unnatural speed. It hit Sakon with more force than the metal sharpener had managed, and the thrower of the chalk arrived shortly after.

Sasuke drew back his fist and sank it into Sakon's chest, before kicking him from behind and down the steps, where he lay unmoving.

With a growl, Sakon's twin Ukon withdrew a short pocket knife. Naruto saw him approaching Sasuke and aimed a high kick at his head. He missed but hit his neck, attaining the same result nonetheless as he toppled down after his twin.

He winced as Zabuza's voice echoed through the room. "UCHIHA, UZUMAKI! DETENTION AFTER SCHOOL!"

--_30 minutes later (After school)--_

"The two of you will stay here with me for an hour," Zabuza said sternly. "No talking, quiet work."

Naruto nodded glumly, Sasuke made no notion to show that he had heard. With a sigh, Naruto pulled out the homework he'd gotten from chemistry and stabbed holes loudly through his paper.

"Uzumaki," Zabuza warned.

Naruto stopped shredding his work and looked across the room. Sasuke was writing something in one of his books. Zabuza had separated them to opposite sides of the classroom so that they wouldn't be able to pass notes or talk.

'_Too bad,'_ Naruto thought as he took his phone from his left pocket. _'There's still technology.' _

He hid the phone beneath the desk and pressed buttons with one hand while trying to write with the other. Harder than it looked. _'I hope Sasuke has his phone on silent,' _he thought.

He sent a message with just _Hey_.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sasuke's hand reach into his pocket, and he smiled.

The phone in his hand started flashing. -_What is it dobe.-_

He scowled. -_Not a dobe.-_

_-Send something useful idiot.-_

_-Look who's talking. Whats got YOUR panties in a twist?-_

_-Nothing.-_

_-…Nothing?-_

_-That's what I sent.-_

_- You lie like a girl. Badly.-_

_-There's nothing.-_

_-Is it about Itachi?-_

_-Shut up.-_

_-I'm not saying anything bastard. Its about Itachi isn't it?-_

Five minutes later and still no answer from Sasuke, Naruto was beginning to get annoyed. _'I should just grab his stupid head and-'_

_Shake it like a polaroid picture, oh, -_

Naruto and Sasuke both snapped their heads to the desk in the front where the song was coming from. Zabuza clutched his phone and there was a pink flush running across his face. "Damn it, I _told _him not to change the ring tone," he muttered to himself. He put the phone to his ear.

"What is it," he ground viciously into the phone. "I've got two on detention."

Naruto darted another glance at Sasuke, who'd returned his eyes to his own work.

"What? Gr, those brats. I'll be out there in a moment."

Zabuza flipped the phone close. "Some of your _friends_ are _frolicking _in the quad," he growled. "I'm sorting it out. You will be here until I return."

The moment the door slid close behind the teacher Naruto was out of his seat and across the room in front of Sasuke. To his anger, Sasuke didn't even look up.

"Bastard."

No answer. Sasuke kept on writing.

Naruto furiously swept the books off the desk, and finally Sasuke looked at him.

"Naruto…" he said dangerously.

"What?!" Naruto snapped. He clenched his fist. "What is _wrong_ with you? You're being a bastard and ignoring everyone," he said loudly. "Like some spoilt –"

"I don't know where the fuck Itachi is!" Sasuke shouted at him. He stood up and looked down angrily at Naruto. "I have no idea where my sadistic, insane brother is," he hissed, "or what he is planning, and-"

"Forget about him!"

"-And what he'll do to you!" Sasuke grabbed the side of the desk and threw it so that it flipped violently to the side. With nothing between them, he flickered forwards and cornered Naruto against the desk in front. He put his hands on the desk on either side of the blonde, trapping him.

"I don't know what he'll do to you," he whispered. Naruto stared up with wide eyes into the face a few inches away. Sasuke closed his eyes and his lips moved slowly. "I promised to protect you, but I don't even know where Itachi is. I can't stop him, I don't know _how_ to…"

Naruto felt Sasuke's upper body tremble slightly.

"Sasuke…" he whispered. Sasuke's head was bowed and he didn't say anything.

Naruto put his arms around Sasuke and nuzzled his neck. "He can't hurt me," he said softly. "You're here, I can protect myself too you know…" He pressed his body closer to Sasuke's, and the obsidian eyes opened. "Don't worry...we'll take on Itachi together. So please…" his hand gripped the back of Sasuke's shirt tightly and his azure eyes looked almost pleadingly at him. "…stop ignoring everyone. Stop ignoring me, I don't like this, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked at him from beneath the strands of raven hair. His onyx eyes clouded, then shimmered translucently.

Naruto kissed the Uchiha, knowing that he was now back to normal. He felt the previously slack arms around him tighten strongly and Sasuke took control and dominated the kiss, forcing his tongue into Naruto's mouth and taming his own tongue to its heated advances. Naruto gave in, strangely fond of the power Sasuke held.

He didn't know when Sasuke had lifted him onto the desk behind him, and he moaned as the raven leant forwards and he felt the hardened length against his thigh.

"Not he-here," he said in breaths. He writhed in pleasure as Sasuke pressed himself closer, and he didn't notice the hand slip beneath his pants as he himself wrapped his legs around Sasuke's waist.

"We have time."

_--15 minutes later--_

'_This room,' _Zabuza thought in horror. He scanned it, noticing the heated temperature, the smell, the _wetness_ on the surface of a few desks.

The two occupants sat exactly where they had been fifteen minutes ago, but Zabuza had some serious doubts as to whether that had been the case for the entire time. And was that…oh dear.

"You are dismissed," he croaked, and he escaped the stifling room.

Sasuke smirked at Zabuza's antics, confident that the maths teacher knew exactly what they had done. He quickly shoved all his stuff into his bag and went to meet the still seated blonde on the other side.

"So slow, dobe," he said mockingly.

When Naruto winced in the middle of his packing he instantly stopped smirking. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly as he crouched next to him. _'I shouldn't have gone dry on him.'_

"I'm fine." Naruto grinned as he swung his bag across his shoulder and he said, "Your buttons are done up wrong."

Sasuke looked down and realized that in their rush to get re-dressed, he'd indeed done up his shirt wrong. He re-did them properly as he walked down the steps towards the door after Naruto.

Almost immediately upon stepping outside the building, they found out why Zabuza had left in the middle of their detention. Almost half the school was still in the courtyard and the reason was –

'_Nooooo!' _Naruto thought dramatically as he took in the scene before them. _'I missed it!!'_

Kiba grinned sheepishly and held Hinata Hyuuga's hand in the middle of all the catcalls and wolf whistles from the crowd. Neji watched sceptically, glaring at Kiba as if promising pain if he hurt his cousin in any way or form.

Naruto whimpered childishly and felt robbed of his entertainment, but he descended the steps (with a slight limp) and slung his arm over Kiba's shoulders in congratulations.

Sasuke offered his wishes too – an approving nod, and as he watched the screaming crowd, the naïve celebrating, his beloved boyfriend laughing in the midst of it all, he thought…Naruto was right. Itachi was a burden. _This_ was what he should be living for.

When he'd managed to coax Naruto from the crowd to the silence outside the front gates, he wrapped him in his arms and took comfort in the steady beating of the heart against his chest.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

* * *

There was one of the Akuma who didn't stay to see Kiba's successful courting of Hinata. Shikamaru was again attacking the locked USB attained long ago from Zetsu. He was determined to find out the secrets hidden in that flimsy piece of metal.

Tendrils of darkened skin were underneath his tired eyes. He punched at the keyboard in frustration as another combination failed to crack the encryption.

'_Kakuzu, Hidan, Zetsu…they are the three who do the encoding, so why won't it open?!'_

He groaned out loud as he rebooted and tried once again, the last attempt having filled his screen with numbers. Through half-lidded bleary eyes, he watched the rebooting sequence wipe away the number filled screen.

Suddenly he bolted up straight.

'_I've got it.'_

* * *

It's shorter, it's probably worse in quality, I know you want to kill me! Forgive me please, I'll be back, hopefully soon!

Review!! Please T.T Number of people doing so seems to be dropping with each chapter.

Next Chapter- The secrets of the USB card are revealed, and with them, another secret which will change everything.


	20. Diaries Of A Madman

I am so sorry, I've been bad!! Don't kill me? Please? (Runs just to be safe)

I feel that this story is now getting more difficult to finish the longer it drags on. I've decided it will end within 8 chapters, at which point I will reveal the results of the poll for my next sasunaru story. I will be taking a break after _End to Serenity _though. It should let me gather my wits again.

If you are thinking I will end the story unsatisfactorily because of my intentions, don't worry. This story had been plotted out from the moment I wrote the first chapter. Though I admit I got carried away with the sasunaru fluff. I hope there is improvement in this chapter.

Thank you very much to the readers who have stayed with me.

" "- talking

' '_- thinking_

_Memories/Flashback/Dream Sequence_

* * *

_**--Chapter Twenty--**_

_**--Diaries Of A Madman--**_

"_What…What are… you doing?"_

"_EYAAHHH!"_

"_Mikoto! MIKOTO!"_

"_Fugaku…"_

"_MIKOTO!"_

_Step…_

"_Why...WHY?!"_

_Step…_

"_WHY?! Have you gone mad?!"_

_Step…_

"_You can only blame yourselves…for bringing me to this world."_

_Step._

…

* * *

_This present only exists because of the past._

_But the greatest present of all…would be to have the chance to love again –_

_In the not too distant future…_

* * *

The wind, sweetly fragrant with cherry blossom, blew coldly through the bare, gnarled, Autumn oaks. Dark clouds swirled ominously in a sky of pale grey, and blew past in lethargic, sinister spirals. The streets were deserted, an oncoming storm was inevitable.

Past one particular oak bough, through the fogged up windows of Naruto's room, a messy, haphazard bed could be seen. In the bathroom beyond, Naruto gazed blearily at his reflection as he reached sleepily for his toothbrush in its glass bowler. His fingers had only brushed against it though, when they flinched and suddenly withdrew as a tinkling _crack_ echoed off the tiles. He stared blankly down at the cup, now run through with a web of pearly, white fractures.

'_The glass…cracked…' _he thought blankly.

He slowly picked it up. For a moment it winked innocently in the light, before it shattered into a hundred crystalline pieces that cascaded through his fingers and into the basin.

"Ouch – shit!"

He quickly shoved his bleeding hand under the running water, his eyes never leaving the sparkling glass shards. Outside, it began to rain.

* * *

Sasuke ran through the rain towards the house, cursing himself for not bringing an umbrella, and at the same time cursing Shikamaru for making it sound like the world was about to end over the phone before he hung up on him, leaving him none the wiser. Sasuke could feel the rain begin to drench into his joggers, and his coat was now heavy with it.

'_Shikamaru wouldn't do things without reason though,'_ he told himself to ease his aggravation._ 'It must be important… but he could've at least told me more before he hung up.' _He groaned inwardly as a flash of bright light illuminated the empty street and he sped up his pace, spraying water with each step.

5 minutes later, he arrived at the Nara household, thoroughly soaked through from what had escalated into a raging storm. He knocked twice on the large door, and waited impatiently in the cold for it to be opened.

It swung open so quickly that Sasuke jumped backwards and glared vindictively between shudders of cold.

"You're here."

Shikamaru's hand shot out and grabbed him by the arm and he was tugged inside. Before he could relish in the newfound warmth though, he found himself being pulled into another room, leaving a trail of muddy shoeprints on the rug.

"Shikamaru!" he scowled, annoyed. He pulled off his shoes and put them at the edge of the room, shrugging off his wet coat and glaring quite nastily at the dropping locks of hair in front of his face. He shifted his gaze to Shikamaru and said, "Can't you just tell me whatever it is in the living room?"

"You need to see it."

He'd only opened his mouth to reply when Shikamaru glanced at him, and with a worry that silenced him, Sasuke saw dark shadows under gaunt, ringed eyes.

Shikamaru pointed to the corner of the room he'd led them to then said nothing more, seeming to recoil upon himself. Sasuke looked and saw Shikamaru's computer beside his laptop, both of them on and blinking. Beside him, Shikamaru sidled his eyes away.

"What's on it?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.

Shikamaru tried to force his lips into a weak smile, but failed dismally and instead succeeded in a half wave half gesture.

Aggravated at the lack of response, Sasuke made his own way to the two screens and peered at them. On one screen, there was nothing but a constant flow of white numbers on black, trailing down the screen, and Sasuke recognized it as a virus.

On the other, was what appeared to be a page of links. Sasuke scrolled up and down with the mouse, seeing that each link was a date. There were some as recent as the Winter of the previous year, and scrolling up, he saw the oldest dated to almost 15 years ago.

"What is this?" he asked in confusion. His gaze darted down the long list without understanding.

"They're Itachi's diaries."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Itachi kept _diaries?_" he asked, unable to hide his disbelief.

"I've looked through some of them already," Shikamaru said quietly. "Quite a few of the ones from a few years back are his tabs on dealings and meetings."

Sasuke turned from him and back at the screen. He clicked on a date from the beginning of last year and was taken to an electronic diary entry. _'The Sound'_, and _'Orochimaru'_ were just some of the recognizable names that jumped out from the lines. The majority of the emails he saw were short and non-divulging.

_Itachi,  
__Tayuyu, Kidoumaru, Jiroubou, Sakon and Ukon will meet you at the designated place. Make sure to keep up your end of the deal._

"Orochimaru was interested in Akatsuki for a time," Shikamaru said.

Sasuke nodded slowly, then kept on scanning. His eyes started to gleam dangerously as the minutes dragged on, and he didn't hear Shikamaru when he murmured something else, instead continuing to sieve through.

_12__th__ March : Itachi, Deidera has 'agreed' to enter Akatsuki. _

_22__nd__ April : Warehouse, Docks. Same time._

_25__th__ April: He is in Europe – Kisame._

_14__th __May : Kaminari killed._

_29__th__ May: Suna's Yondaime killed._

'_This is perfect…with this, I can stop all Itachi's movements,'_ Sasuke thought clicked on the next day, and the next. Pages upon pages of secret meetings, locations, prominent underworld people. Every single partner, alliance, betrayal, agreement. All exposed… all of it could be used against Itachi. He wouldn't know what had hit him.

'_What was he thinking, keeping diaries?' _Sasuke thought scoffingly as he dismissed a simple booking for a doctor's appointment. _'What a stupid thing to do.'_

"Look 10 years ago," Shikamaru said suddenly.

"That information won't be relevant," Sasuke said without glance, continuing to flick through the meetings with the _Sound_, where was some particularly interesting information coming up about a dealing with illegal performance enhancers.

"There's something about the night your family was murdered."

When he heard that softly uttered sentence Sasuke stopped, and the screen before him seemed to abruptly fade away. He stared in shock without comprehending and stiffened.

"That night…?" he spoke, unable to keep the slightest trickle of fear from his voice. Everything in the room became stifled.

"_Little boy, did you see what happened? Do you remember anything?"_

'_Itachi has an entry…' _Sasuke thought numbly to himself. He inwardly cringed, whilst he forced his fingers to move on the mouse.

He slowly navigated to the relevant date and behind him, Shikamaru slipped from the room.

He didn't notice, and the moment he clicked the 7th of October, the screen turned black. The small room plunged in temperature as a chilling, whirring sound of wind came from the screen as the video played. Outside the window, the roaring storm beat against the frame.

The video played, and relived the ghosts from over a decade ago.

_He walked through the creaking entrance gates that had been thrown back by the roaring wind. He stumbled, all grace gone to make way for pure terror…_

A splatter of crimson appeared on the edge of the pixellated screen as something was dappled into the line of sight of the camera.

_Accidently, his hand brushed on the sliding door. He lifted it and in a flash of lightning, saw something sticky…something scarlet…_

A scream - high and desperate and echoing into an eerie crescendo- pierced through the silence as it crackled from the speakers, and a hand fell with a thump in the video as more blood steeped into the wooden floorboards on screen. Sasuke's own blood beat rapidly, his pulse raced. The camera view suddenly shifted, as it was knocked from where it had been and onto the ground.

_Instantly, his senses were assailed by a metallic, rustic smell as he entered the room, and saw, before him, his mother's body lying in a puddle of her own blood…_

On screen, a body – his father- collapsed onto the floor next to his mother.

"_Mom. Dad?"_

A pair of knees made contact with Fugaku's chest, and a fine spray of blood left his mouth, coating the camera lens. Even as he lay dying, Fugaku reached out to his dead wife. A hand came down harshly on his throat, and the figure lowered his body into the camera's range of vision as fingers tightened in a deadly throttle.

"_Did you see what happened?"_

Sasuke knew who it was the moment the video had played, because he knew it was impossible otherwise for Itachi to have such. But even as he watched the silhouette moving in the pictures, the fingers enclose on his own father's neck, and the flashing blade that ended it all in a violent gesture of hatred… he still found himself sinking into a wide, horizon-less sea of shocked horror and rage.

At a loss to understand why…what to do…the absurdity of everything he'd ever believed.

He'd thought that he'd just wanted to win over him in the start. He wanted to take down Akatsuki, and later, keep Naruto from the one person that he'd ever been scared of. Naruto had told him…Itachi was a burden. He was the shadow that Sasuke had lived in all his life.

The shadow was dark. It was getting darker….so much more _darker_…

Why did he have to find this _now_? Just when he could have finished Akatsuki and this never-ending game. Why did this new…new _cause_ arise?

It was a child's game…he was the child, playing with the blocks. But Itachi was the master, the one with the chess pieces. Sasuke was _tired_ of this game. He felt cheated of the satisfaction he'd expected and deserved.

Fury. _Who was he to put him through this?_

He'd been working so hard for this very moment, but now he realized. Akatsuki's destruction would not be enough to satisfy him.

_I am tired of this._

It was time for a new game to begin.

Lies fall like rain.

Like the rain that fell outside… in the storm within his heart… the flashing thunder illuminating the scarlet eyes looking directly at him from within that screen…

'_My revenge…is not a burden.'_

* * *

The first thing Naruto noticed about Sasuke the next day at school was how tired he looked. Sasuke entered the classroom without so much as glancing at anyone, instead sitting silently at his desk and looking at it with downcast eyes. Shikamaru was in a similar state, and Naruto couldn't be sure…but he thought he caught guilt in that expression.

'_Sasuke. What's wrong?' _he thought, as though expecting Sasuke to look up and answer him.

Kakashi began calling the roll. Sasuke didn't answer, but Kakashi just glanced at him and continued. No one else around him seemed to really pay attention to the fact that he was being bothered by something.

Except Naruto.

To Naruto, it was obvious that there was something terribly wrong with the Uchiha. For him, the change was in Sasuke's very aura, seeping into the air around him so that Naruto felt almost as worried as Sasuke.

_It is so dark…_

Sasuke didn't even say anything to him, and that added to it.

Naruto wasn't superstitious. The broken glass and the thunderstorm yesterday meant nothing to him. But when he saw Sasuke, when he caught a glimpse of cold eyes he'd thought had disappeared for good…

He felt scared.

_--Later—_

"Naruto!"

Naruto turned around, and saw Neji running towards him from the locker rooms. He smiled as the Hyuuga stopped in front of him.

"Hey Neji."

"Hello…Naruto, I wanted to ask. Did something happen? Both Sasuke and Shikamaru are out of it. Is there something I should know about?"

Naruto's throat tightened. _'Neji can feel it too.'_

'_But how can I tell you what I don't know?'_

Naruto shook his head. "I don't know. But I noticed as well…" His eyes lowered sadly. "He hasn't told me anything. He actually hasn't talked to me at all for a few days."

Neji seemed to realise the sudden distance in Naruto's voice, and he quickly said, "It probably isn't anything serious. Maybe not Sasuke, but Shikamaru definitely would make sure nothing goes wrong. They can handle themselves."

Naruto nodded, pulling on a smile. "That's right…"

He suddenly grinned brightly and caught Neji's eye with his own bright, blue ones. Instantly Neji knew something was coming, and he wasn't sure he really wanted to know what that something was. "Neji. Are you going soft?" Naruto exclaimed. "_You've _been acting out of the ordinary as well!"

Naruto had not expected the splutter that escaped the Hyuuga, or the very self conscious movement as he shifted his hand to the back of his neck. As Naruto watched, the slightest flush dusted the pale cheeks, and violet pupils purposely averted themselves.

These symptoms, these tell tale symptoms all pointed at –

"Who's the guy!" Naruto shouted loudly. Half the students in the corridor turned to stare at them, and Neji almost smothered Naruto as he yanked him to another hall.

"Do you mind?" he hissed.

"Tell me who it is!" Naruto insisted obnoxiously in Neji's ear.

"I think he wants to tell you himself…"

"I know him?" Naruto asked in surprise. That certainly narrowed the list down. He didn't know all that many guys in Konoha, and he was pretty sure all the people he knew, Neji knew too.

"Yes," Neji admitted. "But I won't say anything else. He'll tell you when he's ready." He turned around and hurriedly left.

"But-!" Naruto started. As Neji disappeared around the corner he whined, "I want to know."

He shook his head and frowned as he began running through a hit list in his head. "Who could it be?" he wondered out loud.

_--Last period--_

The weekend storm had preceded an onslaught of snowy weather that started at lunch. By the end of the day, the school grounds had been powdered with a thin layer of white flakes. Many of the students chattered excitedly through their last two classes as they watched the new snow falling outside the window.

Naruto watched quietly from his window during Biology. His breath ghosted onto the frosted glass, and he spent the duration of the lesson watching the window gradually glaze over with white.

In the front, Kurenai explained the concepts of photosynthesis, pointing out various parts of an overhead projection on the board. Naruto already knew about it, and couldn't be bothered to pay attention.

"Shhh! Kurenai will hear!"

"Don't worry. No one's paying attention anyway."

Naruto looked a few desks to the front. He rested his chin on his hand, looking at the boy and girl that giggled innocently. His keen eye caught the interlinked hands under the table, and he tilted his head ever so slightly with interest.

"Here, hold my hand – you're freezing!"

"Your hands are worse! They feel like ice!"

The boy chuckled. "That's why we're so perfect," he whispered lowly. "Frozen together…"

Several people around them gagged and laughed, and the two blushed and stayed quiet after that.

But Naruto was thinking.

'_Would it be better to be frozen together?' _he thought, as the snow beat against the window. _'Or…' _

Kurenai stepped to the side of the room to turn on the heater. In a few short seconds, the frost had disappeared, and Naruto was left gazing at his own, clear, lonely reflection.

_Melt the frozen heart._

* * *

"Is this really necessary?"

"Yes." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him. "Smoking isn't good for you."

Shikamaru puffed again on the stick. He lifted it before his eyes and watched forlornly as the smoke spiralled upwards. "What you're doing isn't good for you either," he said grimly.

"I know perfectly well what is good for me," Sasuke said coldly.

A banging of doors resounded, and both of them turned around to face the footsteps coming from the other side of the large, empty room. Two figures walked towards them, and the pale light from the lone window threw them into perspective. Sasuke stood up as they approached, scrutinizing them. Calculating their worth.

The taller man was obviously the one with power out of the two. He was dressed in silky slacks, and his long, sleek, black hair flowed with each smooth step he took. His skin was deathly pale, tinged grey, and stretched like an extra layer over his almost skeletal frame.

Sasuke's stomach did a little flip when he saw the face. The nose was slitted like an animal's, and purplish, wide lips were locked in a permanently mocking grin. And the eyes…the eyes were large golden pupils, set with black slits.

Sasuke was reminded of the same cunning and slyness of a snake. This man…

This man was dangerous.

The shorter male in his stride similarly had a mocking smile. Unlike the other though, his was more smug. It suggested an unplaced confidence. His hair was shorter and grey, pulled back into a ponytail, although the man himself seemed to be only in his early 20s. His eyes glinted behind glasses, and he seemed to be doing the same thing as Sasuke to them.

The pair stopped a few metres from Shikamaru and Sasuke. It wasn't out of fear. Not even a precautionary measure. Everything about the sinisterly snake-like man was radiating horrible confidence.

Sasuke stopped leaning on the desk and slid on his heel so his entire body faced the two directly. "Orochimaru," he said in a level tone.

Orochimaru grinned, and his long tongue flicked along his lips. "Sasuke Uchiha," he smirked. "Both you and your brother radiate unbelievable _arrogance_."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

The lethal, metal needle was above Orochimaru's chest in a split second's movement, looking like it had appeared in Sasuke's hand out of nowhere. Sasuke had closed the distance between them in no time. No distance could be rendered precautionary enough between such dangerous opponents.

Sasuke felt cold metal on the back of his own neck and to his left, he saw Shikamaru warily pointing a pistol at the grey haired man's head.

Orochimaru let loose a tinkling laugh. "Kabuto, that is enough," he said in amusement. Sasuke felt the metal scalpel leave his neck, and at the same time, Orochimaru had managed to slide out from beneath the needle tip.

"At least your arrogance is not wrongly assumed," Orochimaru said silkily.

"I don't care about what you have to say about me or Itachi," Sasuke said coldly. "All I want to know is your answer. Do we have a deal?"

Sasuke shuddered in revulsion inside as the man pulled what was evidently supposed to be a pout onto his lips. "But Sasuke…I'd be double-crossing Itachi. Surely that is worth something more…?"

Sasuke growled. "Whatever Itachi pays you for those wares, I'll pay double," he said.

Orochimaru's eyes brightened with greed and Sasuke knew he was tempted.

"Triple," Sasuke reinforced. He felt Shikamaru draw in a breath from beside him and ignored it.

Orochimaru once again revealed his grin. "You have a deal." He extended his hand and Sasuke shook it once. Sasuke's eyes narrowed as the hand moved liquidly up his arm before receding to its owner.

"Prepare the wares for next Sunday," Sasuke said softly. He moved past Orochimaru towards the doors. Shikamaru didn't hesitate, and followed with a worried expression on his face.

When they'd left, Kabuto turned to Orochimaru. "To think he'd actually be willing to pay triple," he said in disbelief.

"He is desperate," Orochimaru said. He lifted his hand to his lips, and licked a finger, his incisors bared. He seemed to relish in what he tasted and a gleeful smirk stretched across his face, making his features even less human. "If it'd been Itachi, my hand would've been torn off already," he considered thoughtfully.

* * *

It is shorter than normal. I seem to be coming down with writer's block, and these other dusty plot bunnies invading my mind do not help at all.

I am in doubt that the poll results will change much more, so i hereby will let you know the current results! At the moment it is a Vampire fic in the lead. I am pleasantly surprised at the number of people wanting me to write another SasuNaru Naru/Hp crossover. I might end up doing just that.

Please review, and thank you to everyone who has stayed with me up to now!


	21. The Desperate Mind

Announcing the title of my upcoming SasuNaru vampire fic -

_The Briefest Snow._

Poll results are pretty much fixed in my opinion. Like with my last story I'll be releasing the first chapter with the final chapter of _End To Serenity. _So far I've determined a few things. It won't be as long as _End To Serenity_, and will be a romance/angst or romance/tragedy combination. I'll let you decide. I'm also wondering, what are people's views on SasuNaruSasu? I'm considering it.

As with each new story I hope to improve my writing abilities, and _The Briefest Snow_ will be a challenge. But I will persevere! Yosh!

Some people might recall I was going to write another Naruto/HP crossover to be called _Magical Layer_. It is (amazingly) _not_ SasuNaru, or any pairing for that matter and if my plans go accordingly it will be in writing at same time as _The Briefest Snow_. However, my baby is going to be _The Briefest Snow_ – it's SasuNaru after all!

" " – speaking

' '_- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Twenty-One --**_

_**--The Desperate Mind--**_

_It won't melt. This snow…it won't stop falling._

_Colder…so cold…_

_It is getting heavier._

_All I can do is watch, through this fractured glass…_

_And now, the ice is forming._

* * *

In every single tavern, bar, alleyway, murmurs were smothered beneath hands and flurried sleeves. Around every corner, there was another pair of lips that would repeat the message, and another pair of ears that would learn of something that had nothing to do with them from the start. In the underworlds rumours spread like wildfire, and every villain knew what it meant for them.

It didn't take long for the normal population to find out as well. The words were overheard and the next school day Konoha High was thrown into a state of fear.

The parents -even the past generation –caught snatches of the upcoming apocalypse. Orochimaru's return was the start it seemed. A glimpse of the legendary and infamous man in Konoha was enough to send into a frenzy the people who recognized him. That week saw the most peaceful week in Konoha for a decade, as every rogue hid themselves from the worst.

Waiting… for the storm that would follow the calm…

"Oi Kiba." Naruto sat down next to the dog lover and looked around the classroom, then back at Kiba. There couldn't have been more than half a dozen people in their homeroom, and a frown appeared on his forehead as he unlatched his bag from his shoulders. "Why are there so many people away?" he asked.

"I don't know…" Kiba said. His eyes darted worriedly to the empty seat two rows in front.

'_Hinata isn't here either,' _Naruto thought. He himself looked at the seat to his right. _'And neither is Sasuke.' _There were sudden shuffling sounds from Kiba and Naruto looked up just in time to see him materialise at the door to grab Shikamaru and pull him to the corner. The two began whispering about something and Naruto suppressed the annoyed subconsciousness emerging.

His annoyance, however, was underpinned by the person in the doorway who'd evidently arrived with Shikamaru. But Naruto didn't follow Kiba's example and attack him. He sat there and watched as Sasuke calmly walked towards him. He tried to lock his eyes with Sasuke to no avail, but it was certain in his mind that Sasuke was aware of his feelings. The Uchiha dropped his bag on his desk and pulled out his seat to sit down.

'_Wait…'_

Sasuke was still, appearing to be in thought. Naruto thought he saw the dark eyes flicker to him for a split second.

'_Talk to me…'_

"Naruto!"

Naruto jerked in surprise and started. He turned and saw that Kiba and Shikamaru had somehow appeared without him knowing and had begun talking to him. But his mind was on other things, and even now he had to quench the part of him screaming at Sasuke, so that he could understand what Kiba and Shikamaru were saying to him.

"Who's Orochimaru?" he blinked as the name flew by him.

"He's from Konoha as well, and famous – or infamous- for what he's done in the Sound," Kiba told him seriously. "He isn't in it for profit, the guy likes to cause pain. Some people saw him on the weekend in Konoha, and now everyone is hiding. He shouldn't be here; he was forced out years ago. I guess there's no one stopping him, but heck, _this_ is why everyone's disappeared."

"But what does he _do_?" Naruto pressed impatiently.

"He performs human experiments," Kiba said, pulling a face. "He knew how to torture in ways no one else can. No one knows much but there was a time when a whole lot of kids in Konoha disappeared. They were all found in a lab – none of them lived and the incident was linked to Orochimaru."

Kiba leant forwards grimly. "I heard this from my old man, and I don't know if it's true," he said, dropping his voice, "but the rumours were the kids were _alive_ when they were found. Orochimaru let slip about his experiments to some people in his college at the time, and they went to see what was going on. When they got in and they found the rooms, all the children had been…_deformed_, if that is the word. Not even the mutilated ones could compare to the children in the cages. They were in a living hell. When Officers gave the official report it said that everyone was dead when the place was raided. But the truth was the ones who found the children killed them…they were beyond saving."

Naruto tensed, putting his hands on his elbows and shuddering in revulsion. _'What kind of a sick man tortures children?' _he thought in horror. _'For __**tests**__?' _He grimaced. Children were innocent…nothing a child ever did could constitute to such treatment.

It was unfair…

He could see the child in his mind. Alone – perfect prey. He could see him sitting there – in a park perhaps- and waiting for someone. The park would be empty. Always empty. The only company was the cruel wind, and the only condolence was the recesses of his own mind, where no one had – yet- managed to penetrate. Naruto could feel the desperation as though it was his own, and he could feel why the desperate conscience grasped at any opportunity.

He could _feel_ it.

There was the acceptance that no one was coming. But at the back of the mind there was always that small, dully glowing hope as he sat there. He knew that that was the hope that would be destroyed, and when it was then it was truly over. How he wanted for someone to come and nurture that hope.

But with each time he faced others that cast him with their disgusted, uncaring glares, or whenever he came upon someone who more daringly lashed out at him physically between snarls of alcohol tinged breath, that glow faded more and he walked away with new scars. There wasn't even anywhere to walk to; there was no one waiting for him anywhere.

He could've disappeared, and no one would know. He could've been taken away by someone dangling a long wished-for dream, and never known the difference between love and the pain. The desperation drove him blindly, and deeper into the arms of a fake angel. The clearest thought of all that would stay until the end, was always

'_Is this what it means to be wanted?'_

What was being wanted? Was it to have someone love you, and be there whenever you needed them? Was it where you had a use, whether it caused pain or tears or a dull aching throb through your chest…? What was being wanted…?

It was his dream. If he didn't have a purpose…if he wasn't _wanted_…then he didn't exist at all.

Naruto almost jumped out of his skin when cold fingers touched his forearm, and he felt a weight around his shoulders. "Sa-sasuke?" he asked hesitantly. Nevertheless he relaxed into the touch, and Sasuke wrapped his other arm around him too. He couldn't feel annoyed, not when he was in an embrace he'd missed so much for the past two weeks. Not when the touch was so real.

"Don't be scared," Sasuke breathed on the shell of his ear. He nuzzled against the tan neck softly, and said against the skin, "Orochimaru won't be around for much longer."

An alarm bell set off in Naruto's mind and he swallowed a breath. "How do you know that?" he asked. His voice was casual; he just hoped that Sasuke's lips hadn't felt the clenching in his throat.

Sasuke shifted and Naruto was in his arms. "Because, he will be dead on Sunday," he whispered above his lips. His gaze slid up to Naruto's.

Shikamaru's eyes widened a fraction and he looked at Sasuke in shock. Sasuke batted it away and lowered his eyelashes to meet Naruto's eyes, and Naruto stared into the pools of shadowed night, his own blue orbs dilating as any feelings of retaliation left him. "You're killing him?" he whispered, more of a confirmation than a question.

Sasuke nodded and for a moment, the world span through Naruto's eyes, and even the safety of Sasuke's arms didn't prevent the vertigo that coursed through his bloodstream. Sasuke was going to kill someone on Sunday. He'd said it so normally, like it was nothing. It was so _cold_, and the thought caused Naruto to shrink slightly from the icy skin against his.

'_Why…'_

"People like him don't deserve to live," Sasuke frowned, and Naruto realized that his thoughts had escaped his lips. "If he doesn't die he'll just keep on living his miserable existence, and destroying others." Sasuke pulled Naruto's back closer against his chest and trapped the younger betwixt his arms. His breath was even closer as he said, "More _children_…innocents. They don't deserve it. Right, Naruto?"

And Naruto just looked at him helplessly.

He was that little child that had been so desperately crying for the warmth of another's embrace. He was the one who'd lived everyday with the hope that it would get better, and that he'll be accepted into a much sought illusion. He _was_ the child who'd jumped into the angel's arms, only to die inside, and be reborn to a grace with the memories he'd falsely forged.

He was still that desperate little boy.

* * *

The first ripple happened the next day.

Naruto spotted a glimpse of bubblegum pink before he'd crashed into Sakura. He was prepared to be yelled at and his hands were already holding his scarf over his ears as he sat on the snow across from her, their books and notes scattered between them on the white, school lawn.

Instead, he heard a soft voice whisper, "Sorry."

'_Huh –eh!? Did I hear right?'_

"I'm sorry," the voice said again. Naruto looked, unnerved, at the figure across from him that was kneeling to pick up the notes and books.

"It's okay," he said cautiously, and began picking up the notes closest to him.

They stood up and Naruto handed Sakura back her papers he'd picked up. She looked up at him and for the first time, Naruto saw her clear, green eyes without hatred or rage.

"Thank you," she said. She sniffed almost inaudibly as she handed Naruto back his Biology notebook. She was about to turn away, but Naruto pulled her uncertainly on the arm. He shouldn't be caring for anything to do with her, but there was _obviously _something wrong.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She turned and Naruto's eyes widened. "You've been crying," he said.

She didn't answer, but she didn't keep on walking either. Naruto cursed himself for opening his mouth – what if she yelled at him that it was none of his business? Or worse, what if it was something sensitive?

"I'm sorry," he said, "you probably don't want to-"

"No."

Naruto flinched. There was obviously something wrong, but if she was going to deny it…

Sakura turned to him. "No. I want to." In horror Naruto saw tears running silently down her cheeks. Her grip tightened on her books, and she whispered to the ground, "I need someone to talk to."

They skipped homeroom, as Sakura refused to let everyone see she was crying, and sat on a dry patch of green grass beneath a leafless oak. Naruto leant back against the wood and waited calmly.

Sakura sat with her arms around her knees. She lifted her face upwards, and her hair spilt back across her forehead. Naruto slowly twisted his orange scarf as he waited for her to be ready to speak.

He was caught by surprise when she locked her eyes onto his for a moment, then lowered her eyelids and turned back to face the front. "I always thought," she whispered, "that I was right."

In a trembling voice, she turned and said to him, "Did you know…? Years ago, I was the smartest student here. All the other girls were jealous. They said that I had both the looks and brains…" She held out a hand slowly and caught a flake of snow that had begun to fall. "But…" she closed her hand. "I gave it all up."

"Why?" Naruto couldn't help but curiously ask despite himself. _'She is completely different to the Sakura I know,' _he thought in shock. Without her volatile temperament, she had become… fragile.

"Because I wanted to fit in."

'_I…can understand that.'_

"It was the _right_ thing to do, because it would give me more friends," Sakura said bitterly. "It paid off. I got my friends, and since then, I went further." She looked at Naruto again. "Like you for instance. You were one of the _obstacles_. I can understand why Sasuke loves you, and not a girl," she said as she eyed him. "Girls can be so simplistic sometimes."

Naruto laughed nervously. "Girls all seem difficult to me, not simplistic. I can never get what they're doing," he said truthfully.

"Oh, some of us are actually very goal-driven," she said with a small smile. "A student like me only has so many goals. Love is one - the perfect romance."

"Everyone wants that," Naruto said. "Everyone," he repeated to himself.

"Maybe. But to me, I needed it. It was all that was missing in my life…I've been lucky." Her tears started again, and she whispered, "So now when I've lost something, everything I'd done before has become so pointless."

Naruto didn't know how to comfort people, and he wasn't inclined towards wrapping his arms around her. He instead pulled himself to sit in front of her and face her directly, letting her know someone was there.

'_She's lost someone.' _He winced. The worst pain.

She looked at him over her arms and said nasally, "No one knows yet. Can you…not tell anyone about this? I'll let them know myself…"

"Of course."

She smiled at him. "You've changed a lot…Naruto."

"Eh? I'm still me."

She shook her head. "No. Others…like me. I can't look at people the same anymore. It used to be that I would see people and think about how good they look, how popular they are – how much they are worth. Sasuke was just another accessory. But this conversation we're having…it is more comforting than anything I've ever said with him."

"After you get to know him, he isn't insensitive at all," Naruto said defensively.

Sakura shook her head. "I won't push myself to do that," she said. "I'm letting go."

"You're improving already then," Naruto said encouragingly. "I'm sorry about your, um…"

"My dad," Sakura said. She raised her face and looked upwards, saying softly, "It's alright… I miss him so much, but nothing can ever take away how important he is to me. I'll keep on living, and he'll be watching me." She breathed in the cold air deeply.

Sakura got to her feet. "I feel better now that I've let it all go," she murmured. She held out a hand to help Naruto up and he took it. She took her hand away and lifted her face to look at him with green eyes that changed hue like the sea.

"Friends…?" she asked.

"Friends."

* * *

Kiba said, "Her dad was killed by Orochimaru a few days ago."

"Orochimaru?" Naruto voiced in shock.

"Poor Sakura-san!!" Lee wept from his couch. "She must keep fighting!"

"She's handling it well," Naruto decided to point out. He instantly realized his mistake as everyone raised their eyebrows at him.

"How do you know that?" Kiba said sceptically.

The others all looked at him from their respective couches in Sasuke's vast living room. "She talked to me this morning," he sighed. He waved his hand. "We're friends now."

A growl froze them all and Naruto turned around to see Sasuke standing behind the couch. "After everything she's done to you," he said in a cold voice quivering with rage, "she talked to you, and now you're _friends_?" His eyes were positively flashing, and a dangerous aura threatened to unleash itself as he walked slowly around the edge of the couch to Naruto.

"Why are you so angry?" Naruto asked, starting to feel annoyed himself.

"She doesn't deserve it," Sasuke said flatly.

"She made one mistake," Naruto argued. "And besides, I can make friends with whoever I want."

"Hey, guys, chill," Kiba said carefully from the side.

"No."

Now Naruto was mad, and he stood up, failing to pull himself taller than Sasuke. "Well we're friends now," he shouted loudly, "so – ow!'

Sasuke pulled Naruto roughly on the arm, and easily towered over him. "She should not be forgiven," he said dangerously. "She can't get away that easily."

"Let go bastard, she didn't even manage to do anything to me!" He suddenly stopped struggling against the grip and looked up at Sasuke in disbelief. "Wait a moment…this isn't even about Sakura anymore is it?" he asked.

And then he was sure. "You're still thinking about Itachi!" he accused loudly. He ripped his arm from Sasuke and grabbed him by the collar. "You said you didn't care anymore!" he shouted.

Around them, all the others looked on in shock.

Sasuke stared at him. He pulled the hand from his shirt and Naruto could see the mind at work. Sasuke lifted his own hand, and moved his fingers up Naruto's cheek and through his hair.

"No," he finally said. "I'm not thinking about him." He refused to make eye contact with Naruto as he gently lifted the arm he'd been holding. "I'm sorry I hurt you…"

Naruto sighed and pushed away the arm, moving forwards and hugging Sasuke tightly. He wouldn't say anything, there was nothing he could say. Sasuke pulled them backwards and sat down like that, inclining to Shikamaru to start talking about why they were all here.

Shikamaru shifted uncomfortably. "I think it's better if you handled the information," he said softly.

Naruto could feel Sasuke's displeasure in the way his chest stiffened and he pulled away to let Sasuke talk properly.

"There's been a lead that Orochimaru will be at the warehouse next to the harbour on Sunday at 7pm," Sasuke said. He pulled an arm back over the sofa and crossed a leg over the other casually as his other hand took out his phone.

He searched around for a moment, coming up with a map. "The site is _here_," he pointed out. "Our aim is to kill Orochimaru."

"Why?" Neji interrupted. He looked with a hard expression at Sasuke. "We've never taken a pure assassination mission before."

"Yes," Lee agreed.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "It is bad news for everyone while Orochimaru is here. The heist on Sunday is a deal of drugs and weapons between Orochimaru and some street gangs. If those get onto the street it'll be trouble. The snake needs to go."

When he was greeted with silence he began pointing out other places on the map. "Chouji, Lee, Shikamaru, I need you to take care of the people guarding the wares _here_." They nodded reluctantly and Sasuke pointed at another part.

"Neji and Kiba, you two are going to be coming with me around the back of the warehouse," he said, looking at them. "Once we've taken care of the guards there then everyone meet on the second flight of the stairs outside. We'll enter on that floor. Orochimaru and his thugs should be on the bottom, and we'll be able to kill him from above."

"What about me?" Naruto asked abruptly.

"You're not going," Sasuke answered without looking.

"What?! Yes I am!"

"You aren't used to how we work together," Sasuke snapped. "We can handle this."

Naruto shook his head. "Whether you include me or not, I'm going, so you might as well include me. I already know where and when it is now." Clear cut sapphire eyes held Sasuke to their will. His mistake was letting Naruto come to this meeting.

Sasuke threw his hands up in exasperation. "Fine! But we're not having everyone inside then. You and Kiba will stay at the back of the warehouse."

'_Fine by me,' _Naruto thought. _'He wouldn't know if I went in.'_

The others crowded around the table as Shikamaru and Neji devised the more detailed plan. Sasuke dropped his hand into his palm, grinding his teeth together.

'_Dammit, Naruto wasn't supposed to come. He can't see Itachi. Orochimaru better be smart enough to lead Itachi towards the back.' _He rubbed his fingers against the bridge of his nose. _'It will all be over on Sunday.'_

* * *

The initial plan went perfectly. There were only two guards at each the front and back of the warehouse, and they were easily knocked out after a few kicks and punches. The others headed up the railing stairs at the back, while Naruto and Kiba bound the arms and legs of the unconscious thugs and stood watch outside.

Sasuke knew the warehouse well. It had been the warehouse where he and Orochimaru had met to set up today. Itachi would meet Orochimaru to pay for the drugs and weapons, and Sasuke would kill Itachi from above. Orochimaru was expecting to receive triple from Sasuke the amount Itachi had offered for the goods.

'_But it'd be much easier to just kill him as well,' _Sasuke thought coldly as they stood in the cold sea spray.

All of them had worn relatively dark colours. Sasuke pushed the door open silently, and the other four entered with him. They spread out along the ledge overhanging the crates below, hidden in the shadows.

Sasuke saw Neji pull out a revolver pistol from his vest next to him, and he looked down at the view below.

He could see Kabuto, who was closest to them. The man's eyes slid up and connected with Sasuke's for the briefest of moments before casually turning away. Voices came from around the large wooden crates towards the front of the building.

'_I shouldn't have depended on Orochimaru to lead Itachi to the back,' _he thought angrily. _'I'll have to find a way to get closer.' _His eyes flickered towards the overhanging railings that led down each side of the warehouse. He was closer to the left and he motioned a hand to the others to let them know what he was doing.

He slowly began moving down the edge, closer to the muffled voices.

Then one of the voices magnified, so that everyone in the warehouse could hear it clearly.

"You are a fool Orochimaru." All the others except Shikamaru turned in disbelief, anger and shock towards Sasuke as they heard Itachi's voice. All was revealed to them now, as well as the true intentions of this mission. This wasn't about getting rid of Orochimaru. The target had been Itachi from the start.

That was when Sasuke realised his first mistake as their looks of betrayal hit him.

He realised his second mistake when a gunshot echoed off the walls from below, and he saw Orochimaru's body slump uselessly to the ground.

He cursed as there was a crash of doors. Itachi had already left. Kabuto was running towards Orochimaru's body and as Sasuke was standing up, that was the moment he heard it. He spun his head around, and then with certainty, his eyes connected with the flashing numbers on the device making a steady _tick, tick, tick._

'_Oh God…'_

"SHIT!" he cursed. He ran heavily across the metal platform towards the others. "GET OUT OF HERE," he shouted at them. As they looked at him in confusion he reached them and pushed them towards the door, just as they heard the first explosion go off at the front of the warehouse.

"Time bombs," Lee breathed.

The next explosion rocked the back of the building, and Sasuke realized his third mistake as the back corner of the warehouse imploded. More explosions came from outside, and as the huge blasts rang in Sasuke's ears and they jumped down the metal stairway to outside, he could only think -

'_Naruto.'_

* * *

Gasp. We are getting closer to the climax!! How was it? Nope, not climax yet, this is the, as they call it, prelude.

Review!

Next Chapter will be called _- Shatter_


	22. Shatter

" "- speaking

" "- speaking

' '_- thinking_

_Memories/Thoughts/Dream Sequence_

* * *

_**-- Chapter Twenty-Two --**_

_**--Shatter--**_

Shikamaru sat in the front passenger seat, his hand gripping the door as though his life depended on it while the other was clenched into a fist. He was breathing heavily and his complexion had turned a chalk white. He occasionally looked at Sasuke as he sped them towards the hospital, but he averted his eyes from the back seats, too afraid to look there.

Sasuke's fingers clutched the steering wheel so hard his nails were leaving deep indentures in the leather grip. The horror of what was really happening clenched his heart as he stared, wide eyed at the moving road.

'_Shit, shit, shit,'_ he cursed continuously in his mind.

"We're almost there Kiba!" he heard Naruto say frantically. "Hang on, Kiba!"

Sasuke looked into the rear mirror and his breath froze. He quickly tore his eyes away back to the road. It was fortunate that the streets were empty this time of night, and they drove straight through red lights and crossroads without stopping.

Naruto sobbed as he held Kiba around the shoulders with his head in his lap. He wiped Kiba's sweat-beaded brow and kept on shaking him, trying to keep him awake. Tears streaked Naruto's face and were still falling as he looked down his friend's torso and at the damage slowly killing Kiba in his arms.

The bomb had been at close range to Kiba. The entire front of his chest and waist was blown away, leaving a ghastly, unrecognisable sight. Kiba's blood was flowing and saturating everything including the air. Naruto was covered with it – his hands were dripping, the front of his white shirt was stained crimson red. It terrified him to see that Kiba's face was colourless, and that the heavy pants and gasps through Kiba's dry, white lips were starting to get weaker.

Incomprehensible words gurgled in Kiba's throat as he weakly tried to say something, and Naruto shook his head violently. "Don't talk!" he pleaded, a cry caught in his throat as Kiba's brown eyes closed.

As he sat there cradling Kiba's head, crying and feeling his own chest tear with fear and grief, Naruto begged the gods that had always scorned him before to let him go. To for once, stop destroying _him_.

* * *

The waiting room was silent. Sasuke, Shikamaru and Naruto were distanced from each other, never meeting one another's eyes. They would all cast glances at the door every now and again and note with dread the time gradually slipping past on the clock on the wall. Time that Kiba was feeling more painfully than them, in that room between life and death.

Naruto clutched his shirt and could still feel the warm, wet blood that had seeped into the fibre. He was the closest to the doors and his mind was reeling as he stared blankly at them. Already, he could feel the threat of another loss taking hold on him and he didn't shrug it off, for fear he would be unprotected if it came to pass.

It was happening all over again…

Shikamaru sat with one hand on his forehead and the other held the cigarette in his mouth. He never should have hidden what was happening from the others, he thought as he blew the smoke out. He was partly responsible for this and if anything was to happen to Kiba…he had helped to kill his friend. He threw the stick in his fingers away and dropped his head into his hands, closing his eyes in guilt.

Sasuke leant on the wall opposite, staring at the double doors across from him. He knew it was his blunder. It was his fault that Kiba was now in the middle of an operation trying to save his life. He'd called Kiba's parents when they arrived and now he wasn't sure if he'd be able to speak to them when they got here. He couldn't look at Shikamaru and see the guilt reflected there, and he didn't dare look at Naruto in case Naruto saw the truth in him. But he knew that in the end, everyone was going to know it had been his poor decision that had led to this.

He could only hope with all his being that this wasn't the end for Kiba. That was the only thing that could possibly save his soul now. He twisted his head in angst and he covered his face as he slowly slid down the wall.

* * *

Naruto wiped the wet cloth across the smudges of blood on his cheeks. He slowly drew his fingers through his hair and watched his reflection in the hospital restroom mirror do the same. Dry blood matted his locks beneath his fingertips, and he pulled his hand away from it. His blue eyes dropped to look at the clean clothes that he was now wearing thanks to the hospital, then at the red ones in his arms.

He trembled as he held them tightly, clutching them against his chest.

'_Kiba…'_

Tears pattered onto the basin as Naruto remembered how he'd last seen Kiba at the warehouse. Neither of them heard the bomb until it was too late. Naruto was only close enough to get scratched– he was at the base of the stairs, about to follow the others despite Kiba playfully telling him off. But Kiba was standing right next to the crate it was in when it exploded. Naruto watched as Kiba's body flew through the air raining blood, before landing like a still, broken doll in the smoke…By the time the others came down it was only to find Naruto screaming and holding Kiba.

Naruto dropped the blood-stained clothes and punched the basin, lowering his head. He violently twisted open the tap and splashed the cold water across his face and in his hair, letting it drip down his skin. When he stopped and finally lifted his head to stare at his reflection he saw his trembling lips and red eyes and felt all the more useless.

A sudden stab of anger surfaced. He reciprocated by lashing out at his form in the mirror and the glass imploded beneath his fist, dropping away into a dozen more fragmented mirrors across the floor and sink. He stared down at them, panting.

'_Kiba shouldn't even be here!' _he thought in anguish. His multiple reflections looked tauntingly back at him and he took a step back.

"We're just kids," he whispered. He shook his head, backing to the door. "Why is this happening?" he screamed at his reflection. His back met the wall and he let himself fall to the ground where he pulled his legs closer to him, sobbing.

He wrapped his arms around them tightly and shook his head against his knees, smearing tears across his jeans.

'_Everyone…everyone died in Northside. Everyone could have died just as easily at the warehouse,'_ he thought in horror._ 'We can't keep on cheating death forever, I know…'_

Eventually something was going to happen. Just like now. How many times could they gamble until someone died? Naruto couldn't…

He couldn't risk anyone anymore…

The door crashed open next to him and steps ran into the bathroom. A figure crouched down and held his shoulders urgently.

"Naruto! Are you alright?!"

"Gaara…" He raised his face slowly and looked into the familiar green eyes, and he began trembling again. He was so lucky that Gaara was still alive after everything that had happened…He was so lucky that he hadn't lost him as well…

Alarmed, Gaara quickly pulled Naruto out of the corner he was in and into an awkward hug. "It'll be alright," he hushed hesitantly. "The others just got here now, Neji told me."

'_Everyone…'_

'_It isn't only Kiba hurting right now. Everyone else is too. So much…'_

"No…" Naruto said. _'I could lose all of them at any moment.'_

He shook his head and got out of the hug, his eyes downcast. "As long as they keep on doing things like this in the future, it'll never be alright," he whispered desolately. He climbed to his feet, placing his hands on the wall behind him for support while Gaara watched him unsteadily.

"Gaara…I don't want _Akuma_ to become like _Jinchuuriki_." He looked pleadingly at Gaara. "Do you understand?"

"I do," he said quietly.

"Then Sasuke will understand too," Naruto said with a sad smile._ 'I can't let the same thing happen to them, as what happened to me.'_ He pulled open the restroom door, stumbling tiredly through it.

'_I won't watch Akuma be destroyed. I'll do it myself.'_

* * *

When the others arrived Sasuke knew that his guilty conscience was going to be tried. One part of his mind processed Gaara coming and quickly leaving – to find Naruto in the restrooms perhaps- but the rest was numb. He'd expected this.

"What were you thinking?"

Sasuke flinched as Neji accusingly asked the question. He wished he could answer it. He was not going to bring Itachi's name into this- his name was not an excuse for what Sasuke had done, for putting Kiba in the emergency ward.

"You lied to us," Lee said in a broken voice.

"I know," he said softly, his face hidden behind his dark locks. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

Sasuke looked directly at Lee with haunted dark eyes. "I thought the mission wouldn't go ahead if you knew what I really wanted to do," he said.

"But you still went ahead for your own selfish reasons?!" Neji's eyes flashed and he seemed about to strike Sasuke. His fist shook beside him.

Sasuke bit back the spiteful words tingling on the tip of his tongue. He wanted to yell how Itachi had always been causing trouble in Konoha, how he had hurt Naruto, how he had _killed_ his entire family. Didn't Itachi deserve to die? He should have been the one in that ward, not Kiba. No…he shouldn't compare Itachi to Kiba. Itachi didn't even deserve to have people try and save him.

Shikamaru said quietly from behind him, "I knew."

The others turned to him in disbelief. "You _knew_ and you didn't tell us?!" Chouji said.

"Sasuke has reasons for –" Shikamaru began, but Sasuke quickly shot him a warning look. Now was not the time to tell them. Kiba had to be alright, nothing else he said would mean anything if Kiba's life was gone.

Seeing that Shikamaru and Sasuke both weren't going to say anything, Neji turned on Sasuke in anger. "There _is_ no reason is there?" he said witheringly. "It is the same as always. You've always hated Itachi since we were kids. Were you jealous Sasuke? What was it that made you want to kill your own brother?!" His own words infuriated him and he took an angry step forward, drawing his fist back and punching Sasuke across the face. "IS THIS ALL WE ARE TO YOU?! _THINGS_ THAT YOU CAN USE?!" he roared.

"Is that true?"

Neji froze, lowering his fist and turning around. Sasuke's eyes widened when he heard that voice. The hand holding his jaw slid limply to his side as he raised his head towards the person that he had hoped would not see him in this mess. His eyes unheedingly locked instantly with shocked, azure blue.

'_No, not Naruto,'_ he pleaded with himself. Gaara was standing next to Naruto and looking as disbelieving as the blonde. But in Sasuke's eyes no one else was there in that waiting room except for him and Naruto. It was Naruto's judgement that Sasuke was waiting for right now; what Naruto would think of him.

Naruto walked towards him, and the others parted unsurely as they watched. He raised a hand as he approached and Sasuke closed his eyes, prepared for another punch. They shot open instead when he felt cold fingers merely touch his jaw lightly, directly where he'd been punched by Neji.

"What –?" he croaked as he looked at Naruto.

He wasn't prepared to see the sadness in the depths of those eyes. It wasn't a sadness he'd ever seen before. He felt more pain from seeing the betrayal in them than he did when the others were all talking to him. He instantly wished that Naruto would start yelling at him, hitting him, _hurting_ him like he deserved, rather than give him this terrible, aching guilt.

"Sasuke, can you do something for me?" Naruto said to him in a cracked voice.

Sasuke's mouth opened slightly in surprise and his eyes flickered slightly as Naruto's hand cupped his cheek.

Naruto didn't let Sasuke look away from him as he said hollowly, "leave Akuma."

Sasuke's mouth dropped and his eyes widened.

"What, why – "

"Don't think about Itachi again," Naruto said clearly. "Don't do anything involved with Akuma, the Sound, Akatsuki, _anything_ in the underworlds." His hand slipped away from Sasuke's cheek and he stepped away.

Sasuke opened and closed his mouth wordlessly as Naruto half turned.

As Naruto began walking away, he whispered, "or I'll _never _forgive you."

* * *

It was midday, and sunlight poured into Naruto's room. He sat at his window but nothing happening in the world outside was of interest to him. The sun on his skin didn't warm him. The noise outside didn't reach him. He just sat there with his eyes gazing out the window, letting the wind ruffle his hair and blow into his room.

Tsunade and Jiraiya both fretted in hushed whispers in the hall outside his room.

"What is _wrong_ with him?" Tsunade said anxiously. "He hasn't said a thing."

"When did it start?" Jiraiya asked her in a whispered voice.

Tsunade thought and said, "When he came back this morning." Her eyes widened. "He told me that he'd be at Sasuke's place."

"You think they've had a fight?" Jiraiya suggested.

They both jumped when a beeping ring tone came from inside Naruto's room, and they were instantly pressed against the door with their ears as close as possible.

Naruto stared at the flashing phone for a moment, wondering if he wanted to pick it up. He finally extended a trembling hand and picked it up after the sixth ring. 'Shikamaru' flashed across the small screen and he pressed the answer button. He put the phone to his ear.

"Shikamaru?"

"_Naruto, Kiba's out of the critical unit."_

Naruto let loose a huge breath of relief he didn't realize he'd been holding. "That's great," he murmured. "…How exactly is he?"

"_He is still unconscious, but the doctors think he'll wake up soon. They said he'll definitely have scarring from the blast, but it was amazing none of his vital organs were destroyed."_

"Are we allowed to visit?" Naruto asked.

"_Yeah. They've transferred him to a private room."_

Naruto nodded to himself and stood up, stuffing his wallet into his pocket and grabbing his keys. "I'll be there in an hour," he said.

"_Wait. Naruto, I want to talk to you about Sasuke."_

Naruto paused. He sat back down as he said, "What about? I told him I want him to stop planning and being involved in this kind of stuff."

"_He really does have a reason to kill Itachi."_

"He doesn't have a reason to kill _anyone_."

"_Just let me explain. Then you can decide if you'll forgive him."_

Naruto sighed and dropped his keys on the bed. "It is not whether I will forgive him. I know I can never hate Sasuke," he said. His hand unconsciously went up to clasp the pendant around his neck. "Even if Itachi did almost kill me in the past, I don't want Sasuke to kill his own brother," he mumbled. "It would be a pointless cause. No matter how much Sasuke hates his brother if he kills him I know I'll see a part of him die too."

The other side of the line rustled. _"Even after Itachi killed everyone you knew, you don't want revenge?"_

"Maybe once I would have. But I can't imagine doing that anymore. That other side of me…_Kyuubi_ doesn't exist anymore."

Naruto unclasped the necklace from around his neck and held it up in front of the window. Sunlight glinted off the sapphires and rubies as it twisted in the wind. "Tell me Shikamaru," he breathed. "Why should I let Sasuke kill Itachi?"

* * *

_--Uchiha Mansion--_

The only photo album in the entire Uchiha mansion was sitting on Sasuke's lap. It lay open at a photo from a long time ago. The occupants stared out of the picture at Sasuke as he sat on his bed, all of them frozen in time, their emotions evident.

Sasuke saw his childhood self sitting on Itachi's shoulders, laughing as he yanked Itachi's ponytail with one hand and flourished a lollypop the size of his head in the other. His eyelids lowered as he looked at Itachi's facial expression, filled with laughter. Their parents stood waving from the side at the camera while their sons had been caught unaware.

Sasuke flipped the page and instantly all the laughter disappeared. The photo showed him in his first day of high-school and Itachi was with him as the 'parent.' Both of them were glaring at the camera.

After a few more similar pages Itachi disappeared from the album altogether. There was only one more photo left which Sasuke had put in himself at the beginning of the year. He ran his fingertips across the photo. Across Neji, Chouji, Lee, Shikamaru, _Kiba_, him, and Naruto. The smiles on everyone's faces were in perfect contrast to how Sasuke had last seen them. His eyes lingered for a moment longer on the carefree atmosphere before he resolutely closed the album. He held it for a moment, staring at the cover where 'memories' was stamped across in golden lettering, before he swung his legs off the bed and walked towards the bookshelf to replace the album.

He pushed it back into its slot and turned away.

"So we _are_ still important to you."

The voice had come from the door and before Sasuke could look he was frozen as it said, "Is revenge more important than us?"

He heard the footsteps get closer and Naruto's voice said sadly, "You'll lose everyone else."

Sasuke sighed and fixated his downcast eyes on the carpet. "I won't be losing anyone," he said determinately.

Naruto shook his head as he walked closer to Sasuke. "Is that what you thought when Kiba almost died?" he asked.

Sasuke flinched.

Naruto's arms suddenly wrapped around him from behind and held him. He felt Naruto bury his face into the nape of his neck and say in a muffled voice, "Would you trade away _me_ to kill Itachi?"

Sasuke instantly turned around and grabbed Naruto tightly. "Never," he breathed. He held Naruto close to his body and said, "I'd never do anything if it meant losing you."

"The person in the hospital might have been me." Naruto pushed away from Sasuke and said with dreadful honesty, "I could have easily been the one in the explosion instead of Kiba."

Sasuke's throat clenched. "I made a mistake."

Naruto blinked at him then smiled painfully. "Shikamaru told me everything," he said.

Now Sasuke stared at Naruto. _'Everything…?'_

"Everything," Naruto repeated. His voice shook. "Itachi killed your parents didn't he?" he whispered.

Sasuke's eyes hardened and he said, "Yes." He looked at Naruto properly. Naruto's facial expression was unnaturally emotionless. He was wearing a black shirt, a black jacket and dark jeans. He usually never wore black, he was always colourful. Dark colours on him made him seem less alive…only his eyes still held a slight spark of colour and life.

"Do you understand now why I'm doing this?" Sasuke said coldly.

Naruto shifted and moved his head slightly to the side, looking at him disconcertedly. "When I was in the hospital today," he said finally, "I saw Kiba's parents."

"Ah." Sasuke swallowed. "They…?"

"They were crying a lot when I saw them," Naruto said flatly. "They almost lost their son. He was almost _killed_."

Sasuke shook his head, vaguely wondering why Naruto was telling him this _now_.

"I looked through the door from outside while Hinata sat next to Kiba at his bed," Naruto continued. "Even though Kiba couldn't hear her she kept on talking to him and holding his hand. Even when I told her what had happened she couldn't blame anyone."

Naruto then trapped Sasuke with his eyes again. They captured him and his next words were ringing.

"Sasuke. If _I_ was the one in that bed, what would you do?" he asked.

"Could you do what Hinata did and not care about who caused it?" His eyes shifted and instantly they were pleading with Sasuke. "Stop trying to kill Itachi," he said.

Sasuke finally managed to pull his eyes away from Naruto's and he put his head in his hands, shaking it from side to side. "Naruto," he breathed heavily, "do you know what you are asking me to _do_?"

Naruto nodded his head slowly. "Yes."

Sasuke growled, "Do you think I can?" He strode over to the bookshelf again and pulled out the photo album. Naruto ran over to try and stop him as he took out the photo of him and Itachi as children and tore it in half. They watched as the two pieces slowly fluttered between them to the ground.

"I can't" Sasuke said heavily. He slumped into the armchair behind him next to the table.

Naruto bent down and collected the two torn pieces of the photograph. "I don't know you anymore," he whispered as he stared down at the picture in his hands.

"Leave it," Sasuke mumbled. "That's how that photo should be."

Naruto was standing next to him again, and Sasuke watched as his hand slowly extended and put something down on the table in front of him. When Naruto moved his hand away, and Sasuke saw what it was, he instantly leapt to his feet. He turned and grabbed Naruto by the wrist.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" he shouted in disbelief. His other hand swiped the trinket from the table and dangled the necklace by its chain between them. The Uchiha fan glinted in the dull light. "Why are you giving this back to me?!"

"When you can forget about Itachi," Naruto said as he looked away, "when you can really love me without letting your brother interfere when he's not even there…then I'll take back that necklace."

Naruto put his other hand on Sasuke's and pushed it off him. He hurriedly turned around and began striding towards the door. Hidden from Sasuke, he bit his lip to stop his treacherous tears from falling. He had to be strong for the both of them…he had to take _both_ of them from the darkness.

Sasuke stared down at the charm dangling between his fingers. The object had suddenly lost its beauty along with its meaning. Naruto was breaking up with him…all because of…

Sasuke's hand clenched on the chain, then an unexplained part of him snarled and the necklace had been flung to the other side of the room.

Naruto's breath caught as a powerful grip grabbed both his arms and he was pulled around. His eyes widened in shock as he felt Sasuke's hot breath against his face. _"I won't let you leave me."_

"Wait – Sasuke!" he shouted in panic.

Sasuke put his hands on either side of Naruto's face and pulled him forwards, kissing him roughly. Naruto felt pain as Sasuke bit hard on his bottom lip and he struggled against him, pulling his head away. He drew back his fist and punched Sasuke in the stomach, causing him to release him from the death grip.

"What the hell Sasuke?!" he screamed at him.

The Uchiha pulled away and held his waist in pain. His dark eyes flashed in anger.

'_This isn't Sasuke,' _Naruto thought as he looked at him, _'This isn't Sasuke.'_

His shoulders were gripped again and Naruto only had time to glimpse the wild expression on Sasuke's face before he'd been thrown backwards onto the bed, hitting his head against the headboard. He twisted around and was instantly pushed back down by Sasuke's familiar weight on top of him. But this time, it felt so wrong…

He threw a punch and his wrist was grabbed and slammed onto the pillow next to his head.

'_This can't be happening…'_

"Get off me bastard!"

He felt lips against his throat while a hand had pulled up his shirt and was now trying to stimulate him in the way Sasuke had learnt from experience. Sasuke's entire weight pressed down on him, trapping him, _suffocating_ him.

"Don't – eugh-" Naruto groaned against the mix of pain and pleasure, while Sasuke breathed heavily against his skin.

'_No, no. Not like this. I don't want it to be like this.'_

Naruto stopped fighting as his barriers finally broke. The dams he'd fought so strongly to keep up in Sasuke's presence were smashed and the tears were pushing past as the emotional exhaustion took over.

"_Sasuke."_

Naruto felt Sasuke freeze and he moved his head slightly to try and see his face. "Stop," he said brokenly. "Please, stop."

Sasuke stared in disbelief as he lifted his face to be level with Naruto's. Naruto watched him, how his messed up hair was in his face, how his stunned expression was slowly morphing into one of horror as his obsidian eyes surveyed what he was doing. Naruto's lip was bleeding freely, his eyes were bloodshot and water dampened his cheeks and still dropped from his tortured blue eyes. Sasuke's hands flinched and released Naruto's as he realized the positions they were in, what he'd almost _done_.

"Shit," he whispered. He quickly moved back away from Naruto. "Naruto, I'm so sorry," he pleaded. He gripped his hair in his hands. "I don't know –"

"You're turning into him," Naruto said blankly as he got up. His feet met the ground and he slid from the twisted sheets. His right hand went up to touch the blood on his lips, then to hold the bruised wrist that Sasuke had grabbed.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke repeated as he watched him. He could feel his own walls starting to break to pieces.

"Don't," Naruto said. He was at the door.

"I miss you Sasuke."

* * *

Extremely emotionally stressing to write. Naruto cries a lot in this chapter...

Long A/N: I've had many reviews asking me things such as what happened to all of Naruto's fighting skills, when will we be able to see them and stuff like that. I will let it be obvious soon that Naruto _is_ able to defend himself, but the point of my story wasn't revolving around how physically strong everyone is or even gangs. I labelled the story as 'Romance/Drama' for a reason, and not 'Romance/Action.'

The thing is, considering the number of reviews with such content I can only accept it was my mistake that lead everyone into the belief that Naruto would become some angry, violent, street kid that could bash up anyone. I don't want my characters to become mindless gangsters.

_Some of you might not want to read this, so if you think that you still haven't understood the main element of my story, stop now._

In both reality and in my story, the idea of gangs happens because people want power or to belong with others. Simplistically put, the reason Naruto's childhood was so bad was because his parents were involved, and why his own teenage years are stuffed up is because he went about a way of self-protection that couldn't last. I am unconvinced that Naruto would be better off as Kyuubi, so Kyuubi is gone.

I can see how risky it is to keep on writing this story as I'd originally intended but I am not going to change it. I hope you can understand and still support _End To Serenity._

_P.S. Spoiler_. Naruto doesn't yet have back all his memories

I will post the next chapter in a few days, _maybe._


	23. A Small Detour

" "- speaking

" "- speaking

' '_-thinking_

_Memories/Flashbacks/Dream Sequence_

* * *

_**--Chapter Twenty-Three--**_

_**--A Small Detour--**_

Sasuke listened as the oak doors shut, the noise echoing off marble and tiles until it reached him where he leant, against the sheet of glass beside the staircase. The glass was all that separated him from a 7 metre drop to the second flight of the spiralling stairs below. For a moment he considered kicking and shattering it in frustration. The more rational part of his mind made him run to the window instead.

He ripped aside the curtains and through the glass could see Naruto walking down the pavement, getting further away from him. He took in how Naruto's posture made him seem fragile; how his bowed head suggested that he was sobbing against free-flowing tears. Sasuke pressed his hand against the window, pushing himself closer until it was no longer possible to see Naruto from his angle.

He moved back from the glass now fogged with his breath and slumped into the couch beneath it. He let his hand slide from the window and cast his eyes around him, feeling his heart sinking in his chest.

_Alone. _

As Naruto walked down the cement pavement back home his right hand tightened around his bruised wrist. He clenched his teeth together and willed himself to stop crying as he passed the bus that he usually caught home from Sasuke's. The sky was darkening with clouds but he didn't want to be on a bus at that moment…he needed to walk.

'_Sasuke…what's happening to you?'_ he thought in anguish. Instantly he raised his hand to quickly rub away any new tears that might've formed with that thought. Instead, he found his cheeks already moist. He took his hand away slowly.

He stopped walking at the corner of a street and stood with his head bowed as the first raindrops started falling from the shifting, dark clouds. The rumbling of thunder rolled through the air. The street lights flickered on at the same time as bright thunder began flashing in the sky. Only an empty road stood witness as Naruto doubled over and cried to himself anyway.

His clenched his hands but his entire body was still wracked by sobs as he crouched there, next to the flashing streetlights cutting through the hazy air and blinking in sync to his quailing thoughts.

The rain intensified and Naruto hoped the pelting water would wash his pathetic form away with it. That he could be swept away into one of those whirlpools that were being churned to life next to him in the gutter, to just float along.

'_But I can't,'_ he thought as he cried and clutched at his chest. _'I can't forget and I shouldn't.' _He felt the reverberating numbness and pain alternating through his body being added to as the icy rain completely drenched his skin, and he shifted his stare to the wet pavement beneath him. '_I need to reach Sasuke,'_ he shuddered in cold. His azure gaze looked through half-lidded eyes.

'_This is the way things have to be_. _I have to be more important to him than Itachi. I have to be because if I'm not … ' _He bit his lip. He was going to be selfish and make Sasuke come with him. He wouldn't let Sasuke keep on following his current goal, losing more and more of himself as he got closer to it. He'd become a shell of what he was. Naruto was already losing him, what had happened just _then_ was proof of it.

Naruto stood up and began walking again, through the thick rain. He occasionally stumbled over something he couldn't see through the water in his face, or just from sheer exhaustion. He couldn't tell where he was or if he was even walking in the right direction, but eventually he found a familiar lawn and turned to tread up the driveway.

His tears had stopped some streets back and by the time he stood facing his front door the water sliding down his face was all from the rain. He fumbled in his pocket for his keys and inserted the right one into the lock, twisting the knob and pushing the door open.

"Naruto!" came a cry instantly.

"I'm home," he said with a deep breath as he stepped inside. The door closed behind him, shutting off the sound of rain. He shrugged his dripping joggers off in the entrance hall as Tsunade came barrelling around the corner from the living room.

"Where have you been and – _what are you doing all wet?!_"

Naruto stood still and let Tsunade grab a towel from nowhere and throw it over his head. She began trying to dry his hair while he was motionless beneath her vigorous wiping.

"Tsunade, you need to let him get changed. He's completely soaked."

Naruto tensed slightly and he glimpsed Jiraiya through the towel watching him intently. He gripped the towel and pulled it away. "Thanks Tsunade," he mumbled. He turned and began heading up the stairs.

"Wait," she called softly. Naruto stopped and looked at where she was standing with the towel in her hands. "Come back downstairs after you've changed. We need to talk," she said.

Naruto nodded and disappeared into his room. He closed the door behind him and locked it not out of modesty but because he didn't want Tsunade or Jiraiya to worry. Pulling off his jacket and discarding it to the side, bruises instantly came into view.

'_Stupid Sasuke,'_ he thought bitterly as he inspected them.

The one on his left wrist was the most obvious. It was an angry ring of blotched purple and red against his normal, tan shade. Naruto stared at it blankly then stripped off his pants and shirt as well.

His reflection in the mirror looked thin even to his own eyes. The missing necklace at his marked neck jumped out at him and his eyes lowered to his chest. The struggle with Sasuke had left him with several more marks along his abdomen but those would quickly heal, he thought. He dug around in his wardrobe for awhile until he found a navy sweatshirt that would hide all the marks, and he donned a pair of long pants.

'_Jiraiya and Tsunade must suspect something,'_ he thought as he pulled the sweatshirt on, pausing as he remembered the two waiting downstairs for him. He pulled open the door and left the room, hesitating for a moment at the top of the staircase. _'What do I tell them? The truth?' _he thought. _'Do they need to know about the warehouse?'_

He still hadn't decided on what to do when he'd reached the bottom of the stairs and walked into the living room. Tsunade and Jiraiya sat silently on opposite sofas with their arms crossed. Both of them looked up at him as he entered.

"What happened to your lip," Jiraiya questioned shortly.

'_Shit. I forgot about that,'_ Naruto thought as he touched the sore and bruised flesh. He wasn't prepared for when Tsunade gripped his hand and pulled up his sleeves to reveal the marks there.

Naruto quickly pulled his arm back as Tsunade stared wide-eyed at them. Her lips drew back over her teeth in anger and her auburn eyes thundered.

"You aren't going to tell me they were from an accident are you?" she said through gritted teeth. "Nor are you going to tell me that you walked home in the rain because you _felt_ like it, or that you don't know Kiba is in the hospital?" she said.

Naruto looked up, stunned. "You listened to me and Shikamaru on the phone?" he said in shock and exasperation. He felt a chill as he thought of something else and he moved away from Tsunade.

'_Then they also heard…'_

"Indeed, Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha were related," Jiraiya said quietly. "I completely missed it. Sasuke looked familiar but I didn't take it as important…and this is the result."

"I'm going to _kill_ that brat!" Tsunade snarled. She pointed at Naruto's wrists. "Those are from him aren't they? Why didn't you tell us what was happening between you?!"

Naruto flinched at her voice but he recovered quickly as his own anger began to surface. Frustration that had been staunched by the rain began to bubble. "What me and Sasuke do doesn't involve you…" he whispered hostilely. Tsunade recoiled slightly, looking at him in hurt. And then…the betrayal…the anger…the despair began to bubble over.

' "_I love you, and no one will ever be able to change that…" '_

"So what if we're gay," he ranted desperately, "that we've fucked each other, or that we've_ broken up_?!" The last words left his lips in a high, despairing cry and his voice broke. "It shouldn't matter to anyone else, it's between _us_! It's our relationship and so it's our own problem! Leave us alone!"

"Calm down Naruto," Jiraiya said with a raised hand. Disturbed, he half rose from the sofa. "We just want what's best –"

"You don't know what is best for me!" Naruto lashed out. He laughed wildly and put his hand on his forehead as he stepped backwards and fell clumsily down onto the other sofa. "Even I don't know. I don't know what I'm doing anymore!"

"It's just a break up," Tsunade said quietly to him as she tried to approach and calm him. The sudden truth was unexpected. "You'll get over him -"

Naruto shook his head frantically and both Tsunade and Jiraiya watched with a clawing fear that this was unfolding very much into a déjà vu of the events in Northside.

"I won't," Naruto whispered. His nails drew blood inside his palms as he stared down his two guardians. "I can't forget Sasuke…"

'_I forgot my entire past, I forgot my family, my friends, but I can't forget Sasuke_,' he thought frantically. He refused to allow that to happen, and he was going over but it felt right. It felt more right than letting Sasuke go.

'_I want __**Sasuke**__ back.'_

Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya tearfully and bent down to hold Naruto around the shoulders. "Don't stress," she said pleadingly, "you still have us and all your other friends. Don't push yourself." She was afraid; scared that Naruto would sink back into his past self.

"You can't let one thing hurt you like this," Jiraiya said carefully. "You and Sasuke are over now, and you can put that away and continue your life without him."

"No!" Naruto said, shaking his head at them. "We're not over yet…"

Tsunade and Jiraiya felt rather than saw the path Naruto was pulling himself towards. It was risky, they couldn't allow it. It'd surely mean they'd lose him.

"Naruto, he's obviously going the same way as his brother," Jiraiya argued more forcefully. "You'll get involved again and I cannot believe that you could forget what happened the last time."

"You can't save someone who's given up on himself," Tsunade said to him.

Naruto's harshly spoken next words told them that if they tried to change his mind, they'd lose him anyway.

"The day that Sasuke dies is the day I die as well."

* * *

_--Next Day--_

Kiba looked yearningly at the apples in the basket Naruto had just set down on the end of his hospital bed and said with a small chuckle, "My diet's limited to flavoured liquids at the moment."

Naruto grinned as he sat down on the chair next to Kiba's bed. "I'll remember to bring you some baby mash next time," he said. His grin slipped slightly as he took a proper look at Kiba. Bandages crisscrossed all down his neck and over his chest, disappearing beneath the collar of his hospital gown before reappearing on his arms. Tubes attached to the stand beside the bed were connected to Kiba's wrists.

"I'm _fine_," Kiba said, noticing Naruto's staring. "It hurts like hell _here_," he pointed at his chest, "but it was all worth it when I saw Hinata."

"She was really worried about you," Naruto told him. He grabbed an apple from the basket and bit into it with a loud crunch. He chewed for a moment. "I heard she beat the living daylights out of you and almost sent you back into a coma," he commented through a full mouth.

"Aww man, didn't you hear about how she kissed me?" Kiba complained loudly. "Sure, she hit me too but she kissed me for longer."

"I _saw_ a 5 second kiss," Naruto smirked, "and I _heard_ about a 5 minute beating." A small apple smacked him on the head and he dove for cover. He dodged the second apple that came flying after the first and screeched, "What was that for! The last time I give you apples!"

"If I hear you say a word to Hinata about this," Kiba warned with a faint blush, "Coma or no coma, I'll chase you down with my IV drip."

"I'm so scared," Naruto said sarcastically from under the bed. "Like I can't outrun a guy that hobbles."

"I've got plenty of apples left," Kiba reminded him.

"Whatever," Naruto sulked as he sat back in his seat and straightened his clothes. Kiba laughed good-naturedly at his tactics. "You and Sasuke," he said, shaking his head.

"What about us?" Naruto queried absently.

"You two are both idiots," Kiba retorted shortly. He turned inattentively and gazed at the gloomy sky outside the window.

Naruto put one hand on the opposite elbow uncomfortably. "Kiba, how much do you know about what happened at the warehouse?" he asked.

"I know enough," Kiba said. He threw an apple continuously with one hand, catching it as it came back down. "Sasuke came in the morning to see me and he told me it was his fault," he explained. "I said it was alright and told him I'll have nothing to do with Akuma from now on."

He turned back to face him and at the surprised look on Naruto's face he laughed and said, "I can't if I want to live. Hinata would have my gut." His expression softened and he shrugged his shoulders slightly. "The others are thinking about it too. That's what they said when I told them. No one took it too badly."

"You're sure?"

Kiba nodded and said offhandedly, "I can't go into college and have a family in the future with that kind of stuff happening around me. I probably would have ended up making this decision anyway."

"I suppose Hinata _does _mean a lot to you doesn't she?" Naruto brought up mockingly. Inside he felt a blossoming feeling of happiness for them as he realized that both of them could live normally. There was also a flow of relief that Kiba wasn't pressing the Sasuke matter.

"Shut up you," Kiba scowled, tossing another apple lightly through the air.

"Stop wasting good food!" Naruto said as he caught it. "And don't move too much, your stitches will come out!"

"I can't eat them so I have to put them to use some other way," Kiba said, raising another apple. "And don't worry about those stiches; I can't snap them even if I tried." He bowled the apple like a pitcher in cricket. Naruto dived to catch it before it could go splattering into the wall and narrowed suddenly gleaming eyes at Kiba.

"Another use, huh…?" he said in a careful voice. His lips split gleefully. "Have the others visited yet today?" he pressed eagerly.

"No." Kiba caught sight of Naruto's fox-like grin, and one began forming on his own face. "Are you thinking…?" he began.

Naruto bared his canines wickedly. "Yup."

It was a few hours later when a group of boys would trudge from the hospital covered with all assortments of apple anatomy, the result of leaving Kiba and Naruto to their own devices.

* * *

"…_Shit, Naruto, I'm so sorry. I don't know-"_

"_You're turning into him."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Don't…_

…

…_I miss you Sasuke."_

The conversation faded into a crackling rolling of tape, and he stopped the playback. He put his chin between his thumb and finger as he considered what the words he'd just heard would mean for him.

'_Only good,'_ he thought in amusement. _'Stupid otouto…he has given me the perfect chance.' _

* * *

Naruto bit into his lunch and chewed as he listened to the others discuss. Neji was largely responsible for the conversation taking place without Sasuke. As far as Naruto knew, the Hyuuga was still furious at him and hadn't spoken a word to him since the accident.

He stayed silent throughout. His own mind was set; now he just wanted to know what the others would do.

"I think," Neji said firmly 15 minutes in, "that Akuma can't go on."

He paused and Lee whispered, "It's over?"

"I cannot trust Sasuke anymore," Neji said harshly. He looked at Naruto as he said, "I don't see why we should continue with Akuma…_or_ with Sasuke."

Naruto felt a spike of annoyance. _'Why does everyone want to interfere?'_ he thought bitterly, and he purposely looked away from Neji's eyes.

"He is our friend," Lee said, and Chouji nodded next to him. "We can't just abandon him…?"

Shikamaru was taking a similar tact to Naruto and remained silent. However, his reasons were different. His guilt would not let him influence their decision.

Neji suddenly slammed his hand flat on the table and they looked at him to see his lilac eyes narrowed at the cafeteria doors. The rest of them turned around and Naruto tensed as he saw that unmistakable black right on him.

Dark, bottomless depths detained him as he sat there and resolve broke away like cotton. Sasuke began walking towards them and Naruto felt numb, unable to move his body.

'_What…'_

Turning his head, he snapped the connection between them and quickly stood up. He moved away and grabbed his bag from the seat next to him before bolting from the table. Without saying goodbye to the others he walked quickly from them, feeling panic begin to rise. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sasuke stop before he reached the table and watch him move towards the other door. His own mind felt grief as he saw his lover's face etched with distress.

'_I can't stay around him,'_ Naruto thought hysterically as he left the room. _'I can't pretend to not care when he's right in front of me!'_

Panting from the running pace he'd gone into, he leant against a wall and unconsciously bit his hand, letting the pain distract him. The wordless encounter was enough to throw him into doubts once more.

'_Am I doing the right thing?' _

The pain on Sasuke's face was so unbearable. Naruto wanted to hold him and tell him nothing mattered, that they could keep on continuing like before.

Blood erupted from beneath his teeth as he bit harder.

'_It is…'_

He remembered Kiba sitting in the hospital. All the others who would now be free as well. In his mind's eye he saw Sasuke alone.

Blood was dripping.

'…_or not?'_

Their relationship was so delicate. From the very start it had never been guaranteed safe passage. Petals of red bloomed across the ground and he pulled his bleeding hand away.

'_I hate Akuma. I hate the underworlds, and Akatsuki.'_

Shifting his eyes dismally he saw someone coming towards him. A ghost of his past, he thought, as the familiar face came closer and bodies tensed for attack.

'_I hate Akatsuki, most of all…'_ he thought as he came for him.

"Why won't you leave me alone?"

He wondered, if staining his hands with blood could possibly be the right path. He calmly watched the distance close, and felt for a moment a strange emptiness where he was sure there had once been a burning bloodlust.

"It is not my choice…or yours."

Without that desire for bloodshed and death, did that mean he was nothing before these enemies…?

'_I won't kill,'_ he thought. Nonetheless his body moved of it's own accord, determined to prove something now.

For a moment, he would re-enter his old world. And then he would know…

'_Can __**I **__let go of the past?'_

* * *

Sasuke had felt such an unbearable pain and emptiness when Naruto fled the cafeteria. Now, he stood alone in a secluded part of the school grounds.

"You won't even look at me anymore," he said bitterly to the air. "Do you think that I wouldn't give it all up for you if I could? Dobe…"

Naruto's naivety was unbelievable sometimes. Even if Sasuke withdrew from Akuma, there was no guarantee he wouldn't still be hunted by others. It was a curse he couldn't get rid of.

'_He can't escape either,'_ Sasuke thought grimly. _'No one can.'_

None of them could possibly leave this dangerous infatuation.

A shadow moved and a gust shattered the camouflage of bush and leaves. Sasuke's gaze shifted slightly and his eyes slid upwards to a face.

"Sasori," he said emotionlessly.

Sasori had a gaunt look to him. Red hair, hollow eyes and deathly skin were his attributes.

"This is the end," his elicited dangerously.

There was stillness for a moment, and only swirling wind between them. Sasuke had to search for the right words.

'_Strange,'_ he thought as he straightened and remembered.

He tested the words in his mind, and they rolled off his tongue like they had so many times before in the past. No animalistic eagerness followed though, and the words sounded empty in the silence.

"I will kill you."

* * *

This chapter didn't turn out well in my opinion. Sorry about wait!

Next Chapter - Retribution


	24. Retribution

I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in so long! You've probably forgotten about this story by now or else assumed I'd died somewhere. This chapter had been being worked on over a few weeks and changed so many times that I've forgotten what I originally wanted. It has been the most difficult chapter to write as of yet and I don't even know if it is 'fitting' so to say. Criticize if it's bad; make me happy if it's good.

" " – speaking

' '_- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Twenty Four--**_

_**--Retribution--**_

When the silver haired man moved towards him and Naruto retaliated with a burst of speed to match it seemed to all happen in slow motion. Between them leaves drifted slowly through the air towards a distant ground. Sound had disappeared and his body wasn't his as they dashed through them. His movements weren't his. The _mind_ that wanted to see crimson,

wasn't…

…his.

His body knew what it was doing. There was no way he could wipe away the fact that he did indeed know the man – Hidan – that was now trying to land a whistling, scythe-like weapon on him.

That thought hurt. No matter what, he couldn't change the past.

'_He killed them…'_

They were gone forever. Naruto stepped past the three pronged staff that swung past his head and it sliced off some golden hair as he ran forwards closer to Hidan. So subtly that it was barely a touch, his fingers deftly pulled the extra knife from Hidan's belt and he backtracked, scarcely focusing on his own movements.

'…_and laughed as he tortured them…' _

Naruto swung his arm up in an arc and twisted his body as deadly, sharp edges passed over his head. At the same time his own knife cut into Hidan's shoulder and was embedded there. He quickly dragged it from the flesh and slid back. Beneath his hand he felt the vibration of tearing muscle go through the handle.

"Brat!" Hidan narrowed his eyes as he flailed, swearing violently and surveying his wound. Accusingly, he stabbed a finger at Naruto. "You aren't supposed to be able to fight bitch!" he exclaimed.

Naruto changed the angle he was holding the dagger for a wider range. "Shut up," he said with a deep breath. Looking down at the metal, he swallowed as he saw the bright liquid running down the engraved centre and edges.

'_Blood…so much blood…__**their**__ blood, my blood...everywhere….'_

He flinched as Hidan threw his head back and laughed. "Can you make me? _You_?" he crowed loudly at him, holding his arms out before him and smirking widely. His mocking mirth rang through Naruto's ears and he felt light-headed. After everything that had happened to him…they were _still_ laughing at him from the shadows.

'_Shut up!'_

Still laughing, Hidan didn't notice that Naruto was now right in front of him. Just in time he raised his hand and managed to catch the wrist that went flying towards him. Naruto winced as he found his already bruised wrist in a grip of steel, and his oppressor's grin vanished into a thin line. Glancing at their hands, Hidan growled. "You can't you know…" he said. His eyes flickered to his. "You couldn't before…you nor your friends."

Naruto felt Hidan's hand grab his hair and jerk him roughly forwards, pulling them face to face. Violet eyes were leering directly to his face and putrid breath filled his nose as they glared at each other.

'_Was this what the others saw before they died?'_

"This is such a mess. If you'd just died back then, I wouldn't have to bother," Hidan muttered darkly to him, and Naruto could feel the man's disdain in the very air. The grip on his hair tightened and Hidan traced the scars on his cheek with his knife point. Naruto's eyes followed the fingers dully. "Why'd you have to live boy?" Hidan said to him softly. "_Kyuubi_…cheh."

''_Was this the pain they felt? How much did they have to suffer…'_

Naruto moved his hand forward and the fingers in his hair let go. The forgotten knife went into Hidan's stomach with a horrendous, liquid squelch of muscle and skin. Hidan's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked down at the blood flowing from him and down Naruto's arm.

'…_because of me?'_

"Not…weak," Naruto said raggedly. His hand trembled on the knife handle and he all at once let go. He kneed Hidan directly beneath the knife wound, sending him to his knees in a cloud of dust. Sidestepping the falling body, he brought his elbow crashing down on Hidan's back so that he went splaying face-forwards into the earth.

He was breathing deeply as he drop kicked him below the shoulders, not giving him the chance to recover. Hidan gasped and blood flew from his lips as Naruto sprang forwards and put his entire weight down on the silver-haired man, digging his knee into his spine.

Grabbing Hidan's hair just like Hidan had done to him before, he pushed the head down forcefully. With his other hand he took the scythe from Hidan's limp grip and brought the glinting edge to the back of his victim's neck.

"_No more!"_

_Vanish…_

He was about to move. Blinded by a translucent tint of red that seemed to cover everything that he saw, he prepared himself. The world was tainted and he was just cleaning it. He positioned his arm at the right angle, his hand clenching on metal as he prepared to bring it down. It was so easy to just move and separate Hidan's head from his shoulders. He could avenge the others, and get rid of some of this terrible _red_.

Fingers moved up the metal rod for a better hold. They slid wetly, entering his line of sight, and his eyes flickered towards them.

"_Stop!"_

_Red…_

His eyes dilated and abruptly, the only red left was that on his fingers.

The scarlet tint covering his vision dissolved into his mind as he gradually took in the true, crimson liquid that was covering his entire hand and part of his forearm. Dark, blotched shades of cerise seeped into his sleeve even as he watched.

'_So…cold.'_

He took a sharp intake of breath, recoiling. He flinched and dropped the scythe, watching in fright as it clattered hollowly next to him, its length now smeared with blood. The same blood that covered his own hands and splattered the dirt all around him.

'_Is this what I really used to do to people?' _he thought fearfully as he stared down. _'Kill- so casually?!' _He stared at the blood that he'd spilt himself, heart clenching painfully.

"Where's the pain?!" Hidan screamed wildly from below. He laughed manically, and shouted, "Well?! Give it to me!"

'_Gladly,'_ came a cold voice in the back of Naruto's mind. Then he looked at his fingers again, and it vanished as suddenly as it had come, completely dissolving into the shadows of his thoughts. _'No!'_

"You think you've got me beat?" Hidan sneered, bucking beneath him. He strained his neck and shouted, "Come on princess, just get it over with already. Do you need me to teach you? You move that sharp thing, and _kill_."

Naruto gasped and stepped back, away from the bleeding man. He accidentally kicked the fallen scythe and it clinked loudly at the same time as he stumbled and fell. He pulled himself backwards across the ground, away from it.

'_No! I've got blood on my hands,'_ he thought as he lifted them tremblingly to eye level. He stared at them as if they weren't his. _'I…they…the same hands from before…'_

'_Like the past.'_

God, he didn't want to go back to that. Wasn't he the one trying to free everyone from it? To think that he'd almost bathed his hands in another's blood again. He'd almost trapped himself again…

"Oh, wow. Could it be possible…that you're scared of blood, _kyuubi?_"

Naruto raised his still wide eyes slowly to Hidan. Disconcertedly, he saw the man climbing to his feet and pulling the knife from its bloodied cage without a wince of discomfort. He put it perilously close to his own face and frowned at the now sticky metal. "That hurt," he said thoughtfully. His eyes slid and focused on Naruto's as he slowly walked towards him, licking away the dribble of red at his lips. "Too bad though. It doesn't hurt enough."

"Why?' Naruto said again. He couldn't move, even as Hidan approached his fallen form. "Why won't you stop?" he asked, at the same time reprimanding himself.

Hidan flipped his scythe over his shoulder, point inclined towards Naruto's throat and getting closer with each step. "Sorry kid," he said. "It's over when Itachi decides it is."

The point was on Naruto's skin. Hidan pressed lightly and Naruto stopped breathing. A single move, and his skin would break, and blood would flow. A single swipe, and his throat would be torn away.

'_Itachi. Why does he…'_

'_Why can't he let me go?'_

The escapade in Northside was over. He'd killed his closest friends – wasn't that enough?

'_I don't get it. I don't get it at all…'_

Hidan walked alongside the long scythe and held the shorter knife to Naruto's arm now. Crouching next to him, he pressed and dragged it shallowly across his shoulder. Naruto felt his skin open, and stabs of pain follow all up his arm. He winced, unable to shrink away. It hurt…

He looked at Hidan's face. Hidan's eyes were on his work and not on Naruto's expression. This man was his foe, because he'd killed the others. In one night everything had changed, and he'd been a partaker of it all.

"Why did you kill them?" he murmured.

Hidan looked at him in annoyance. "What's with all the questions? What use would that be to you?" he said harshly. "You're about to die brat! Get that into your head!"

"Why them?!" Naruto moved carelessly and one of the three sharp blades at his neck left a deep, long line of red across his jugular. Not realizing or caring, he shifted and moved even closer.

'_It doesn't make sense!'_

"Shit!" Hidan swore and moved his arm away as Naruto barely avoided cutting open his own throat. Naruto froze, and his eyes narrowed as he surveyed the scythe that was now a safe distance from him.

A drop of his own blood rolled slowly down the edge of the still weapon. As he watched, it bubbled on the tip and fell, splattering onto the blades of grass below. Hidan's face was shocked as he stared at him and at the blood.

In confusion, Naruto threw a glance at his opponent while the stinging at his neck finally began to sink in.

'_Why is Hidan…afraid?'_

His hand flew to his cut at the same time as the world tilted on its axis. Eyes widened as he held his neck painfully, fingers tightening on the flesh around the gash. It wasn't possible that Itachi would do something like that. Could he really…

'_He wouldn't go that far. No way!'_

"Didn't you want to kill me?" he asked in a shaking voice. "Why didn't you? You could've killed me just then and got rid of me like the rest."

Hidan had started panting, and a sheen of sweat was on his forehead that hadn't been there before. "Shit," he repeated again. He looked panicked, and hastily rubbed the blood from the end of the scythe on his coat.

Naruto swooped towards the ground and picked up the knife Hidan had dropped in his haste to move away from him. Standing up, he pointed it at Hidan who just looked unsurely from the knife then back at him. Still watching Hidan, Naruto lifted his other hand and brought it towards the knife.

"Shit! What are you doing!? Stop!" Hidan suddenly screamed loudly, and Naruto could now _see_ the terror that was rolling off the man in waves. Naruto's sudden realization was like a ripple in water, coming from the rock that was his doubt. It wasn't sinking in at first, but then he began to feel it. It was settling.

Hidan was growing more terrified by the second, and he looked in all directions like a trapped man. He'd failed his mission; it was a failure the moment his scythe had made that mark across Naruto's neck.

"Itachi doesn't want me dead," Naruto said blankly. He stared at the knife millimetres from his skin. He began to tremble.

'_Oh god…he…'_

He ran forwards and punched Hidan in the face. Hidan didn't retaliate and Naruto saw he wouldn't because what he said was right. After all of this, Itachi still wanted him alive.

For what?

An image of Itachi shaking his hand while Sasuke glared in between floated into his head. Itachi smiling across a long table at him, arguing humorously with Sasuke…he felt Sasuke's soft fingers on his cheeks become rough and saw his face morph into Itachi's as he smirked, and placed a finger across his lips, a knife in his other hand…

Naruto fell to his knees and retched. His stomach flipped violently and bile came up his throat and onto the grass as Hidan took this chance to escape. Naruto looked after his fleeing form in growing dread, realizing just how close he'd come to playing into Itachi's desires.

'_I almost killed again_,' he thought as he doubled over and continued throwing up. _'He planned everything. He __**knows**__ me, and Kyuubi.'_

Itachi was still trying to break him in his own decrepit way and Naruto's every move was his calculation -his game, his amusement, his form of personal, vicarious pleasure. Naruto shuddered and clenched his fist on the grass.

'_Even I couldn't control myself,_' he thought numbly and groaned helplessly, fingers ripping grass. _'And this is what I'm trying to save Sasuke from!'_

His head snapped up. "Sasuke," he whispered in sudden realization.

Itachi…

'…_Sasuke!'_

Naruto shot to his feet, stumbling to gain his balance amongst torturous tremors of nausea. He groaned as vertigo tempted him to fall back down but fought against it and his feet took a few hesitant steps before his mind caught up. He broke into a run.

'_Everything's my fault,'_ he thought as he ran towards the cafeteria. The sound of his shoes slipping and squeaking echoed in the deserted hallways. _'Not here!'_ he thought as he reached the cafeteria. He turned around and ran back the way he'd come.

He tore around the flight of stairs, his fear escalating with each step and level. He'd brought all this trouble with him from Northside.

'_I can't let anyone else get hurt because of my mistakes,'_ he thought, panting as he ran. Spiralling images flew with him as he went up, higher towards the glass skylight that threw sunbeams on the staircase. He shook his head. _'I won't let Sasuke become another one of Itachi's pawns! I won't ever let that happen to him!'_

Just the other day he'd been staying away from Sasuke so that he'd leave Akuma. Now he had no choice.

* * *

Itachi calculated a person's worth from the moment he met them. His hand-selected subordinates would be no pushovers, but Sasuke wasn't either. Sasori fled with blood pouring from his arm and disappeared into the undergrowth. Sasuke breathed heavily and winced as he took a step forward. He looked down at the small needles that peppered his thigh and grimaced.

'_Poison,'_ he thought as the first hint of dizziness touched him. He looked around and limped to a brick wall. There, he sat at the base and began painfully pulling out the needles one by one.

'_I've still got antidote left,'_ he thought, checking his pocket and feeling the small syringe. He needed to get the needles out, and quickly before he lost consciousness. He threw them distastefully to the side, each tipped with his blood.

He tensed up and turned when he heard pounding footsteps from the other side of the building. Quickly pulling himself up he looked at the spot where he expected the person to appear and to his surprise, a familiar shock of blonde hair and blue eyes met him.

"Sasuke!" Naruto said in relief as he leant against the wall to catch his breath.

"What, why are you – " Sasuke's eyes dropped to Naruto's shoulder, and he took in the blonde's dishevelled, bloodied appearance and neck. "Why are you bleeding?!" He quickly limped forwards and the cut became clearer. Not deep, but enough to get infected if he didn't fix it up. He reached his hand out.

"It's just –" Naruto began. He caught sight of Sasuke's leg and before Sasuke knew it, Naruto had pushed him back to the base of the wall and was frantically inspecting his wound and pulling out needles.

"It's poisoned!" he panicked, looking at the purple tinged metal beneath the blood. "Oh my god Sasuke, don't die!" Naruto positively looked like he was about to start tearing out his own hair in worry.

"Wait Naruto- stop fidgeting, you're bleeding – dobe!" Sasuke grabbed the hysterical blonde tightly by the hands and held him still. He pulled out the antidote filled syringe and showed it to his bewildered eyes.

"I won't die," he said levelly, "but you better stop moving or you'll lose too much blood."

He stared for a moment, then Naruto took his hands from Sasuke's now limp grip and tenderly touched his bleeding shoulder. "I'm fine," he said quietly. He pulled out the last of Sasuke's needles for him and waited patiently while the Uchiha injected the antidote into his thigh.

When he was done Sasuke got to his feet with barely a limp and pulled Naruto up with him. He gently pried Naruto's fingers from his shoulder.

"It's just a cut," Naruto insisted.

"Let me see."

Sasuke coaxed Naruto's hand from his shoulder, carefully moving the ripped fabric from the wound. Naruto was right. It was just a cut but nonetheless Sasuke felt weak as he stared at the mark marring smooth, tanned skin with an identical twin on his neck. They glared at him, letting him know just how easily he could disappear forever.

Naruto shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze.

"Sasuke…"

"Idiot," Sasuke breathed. "Do you know how worried you make me every time you go off and pull a stunt like this?"

"I don't want it to happen either you know." Sasuke didn't miss the lack of insult in Naruto's words and he inwardly cringed and looked down.

'_Of course…'_

"Sorry," he murmured.

Naruto looked at him with baffled, blue eyes. "For what?"

"For calling you an idiot...attacking you, _hurting_ you…everything," he finished heavily. He began moving his hand away from Naruto's shoulder. To his surprise, Naruto put his own hand over it and kept it there. Naruto's cobalt eyes looked at him, wanting him to explain.

He continued, spilling everything that was inwardly killing him. "I can't lose you," he said, voice hitching. "I did anything to make sure you wouldn't be taken away, because without you…I don't know what will happen. I was selfish. I never thought that you'd leave me yourself and when you did I didn't know what to do. It's no excuse for how much I hurt you and maybe you'll never forgive me but I...I really love you. Hurting you is the biggest regret of my life."

He watched anxiously as Naruto brought his hand up to his lips, and he felt breath ghosting across his nails as Naruto whispered, "I _am _an idiot…I didn't think Itachi would send people after the both of us. I thought I knew him better than you did."

'_As long as you won't get hurt anymore,'_ Naruto thought.

"How can you blame yourself for this?" Sasuke searched his eyes, disbelieving that Naruto thought it was his own fault.

"I'm sorry Sasuke," Naruto repeated, his voice rising. "I'm sorry…it's my fault this happened, you wouldn't have gotten injured otherwise!"

Before Sasuke's wits could catch up with him, Naruto had shrugged Sasuke's hands from him and stepped back. "I'm sorry," he said softly, before he turned around and left the small clearing.

* * *

_--A few days later--_

_-If you're going to blame yourself then I'd much rather you hate me.-_

Naruto read the scribbled note then clenched it into a ball. Upfront, Kakashi wrote steadily on the board about World War I and Naruto tried to distract himself with them. Unfortunately, it was a terribly boring topic and notes were continuously being passed from his right so that he now had a small mountain of paper balls on the corner of his desk.

_-Why is it your fault? It's not, how could it be?-_

_-Stop looking like that. Forgive me.-_

_-Please. Naruto, I love you.-_

_-I love you.-_

Sasuke watched dolefully as Naruto scrunched them all up one after the other, averting his eyes from the pile gradually building up.

'_But,' _Sasuke thought, _'he's reading them.' _That sparked a small hope in him that perhaps, just maybe, there was still a chance for them to resolve this. Ripping out another page from his lecture book, he scribbled another longer note and slid it across.

Naruto's eyes slipped sideways at him for the slightest moment then he picked up the next note.

_- This isn't working for either of us Naruto. I'll let you decide but hear me out one more time. I'm changing because of you. I didn't want to kill Sasori and I let him go. I'm not going to ask you to forgive me, it was my mistake to try and force that. Now, I just want you to do what will make you happy even if it means I'm not a part of that happiness.-_

At this point Naruto had to tear his eyes from the paper and look to his right. Sasuke was still staring at him and hadn't taken down a single word from the board. Naruto turned away from his eyes, back to the note. His heart was beating faster…

_-Come over to my place after school Naruto. I won't give up otherwise. –_

Naruto closed his eyes. Go to his place after school? The note crinkled beneath his hand without him knowing he'd clenched it.

'_What do I do?' _he thought. _'Now that I know Itachi's still after me I can't possibly let Sasuke get involved. But…' _

Sasuke's sincerity and love were killing him.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto lifted his head and opened his eyes. "Hai, Kakashi-sensei."

The teacher had finished writing on the board and everyone was now doing individual work. He stood in front of Naruto's desk, concern written on his face.

"If you're feeling sick, it'd be better to go to the sick bay," he said. His eyes flickered to the notes and then to Sasuke and Naruto knew he was aware of what they'd been doing during his lecture. He quickly jumped at the offer to leave the stifling room.

"I think I will go," he said gratefully, and he picked up his bag and gathered all the notes into his hands, hurrying past Sasuke. Avoiding curious glances from many whispering people he left the room, closing the door behind him and stepping into a silent corridor. He was sure Kakashi didn't really expect him to go the sick bay. That man had a talent for knowing what was going on at all times. It was only third period but Naruto decided he'd had enough of school. He'd just hide out on the rooftops until the bell went and he could go home.

Home, or Sasuke's?

Realising he still had all the notes in his hands, he hesitated for just a moment before he tipped them all into a waste basket next to the classroom. He still felt laden down as he headed towards the staircase.

"Stupid Sasuke," he murmured. "Stupid Itachi. Damn Uchihas and their complexes."

Behind him in another corridor, a person surveyed his antics curiously. He watched as Naruto muttered to himself about things and waited until he was well out of sight before he crept towards the basket.

Frowning, he picked up several pieces of white paper.

* * *

Not much of a chapter. The authoress is very much distracted, yes she is. It shouldn't be really hard to guess who found the papers. Several clues. Firstly, who would stalk Naruto in the first place, secondly, his personality, and third, if you do a bit of elimination you should guess it.

Hopefully, this chapter doesn't cause more confusion.

Oh, almost forgot! Letting you know, I wrote my first one-shot the other day and it is now in my profile, so you can check that out if interested. I might write another one soon as a (probably late) Christmas present.

Thank you for staying with this story, even though I've been so horrific with updates!

Michiyami.

Next Chapter – Naruto decides he'll go and meet Sasuke. Torn between wanting to keep Sasuke permanently out of the underworlds and wanting to return to his side, what will be his final decision…


	25. The Shadow I Cannot Lose

Hey everyone!!!! I didn't take a month, so I now celebrate!!! Enjoy, although I haven't yet properly gone through this chapter...  
if there's anything that seems off, let me know ASAP. Preferrably before I go to sleep and disappear for awhile.

This is now definately drawing to a close soon. Thank You to everyone who's stayed, despite my horrific updates, my occasional inconsistencies, and my blockaged brain. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Michiyami.

" " – speaking

' '_- thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Twenty-Five--**_

_**--The Shadow I Cannot Lose--**_

A fluffy, white cloud floated slowly over his head. Naruto rested on his back with his arms behind his neck, propping himself up so that he could see past the grates and air conditioning system into the azure. The limitless, free sky. The cloud suspended innocently for a moment before it escaped behind a barrel of steel. He'd wanted to locate some peace and quiet up on the roof. Instead, Naruto found the machinery rumbling and the sun pitilessly burning his skin.

The noises distracted him from the otherwise calm day but his thoughts stayed, incessant. Frustrated when Sasuke's face appeared for the hundredth time of the hour in his head, Naruto growled lowly and turned on his side, resting his head in the crook of his elbow.

'_Leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alone,' _he repeated, a mantra in his head as he squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to block it out. He hadn't felt so stressed in his life and it was just his luck to have two extremely pressing Uchihas be the cause of it. Sighing, he reopened his eyes, giving up the mantra as a lost cause and instead putting his mind to deciding whether or not he'd drop by Sasuke's place after school. He checked his watch. School ended in ten minutes.

'_It's not like anything is going to change,'_ he thought.

'_But then, it's not like he won't be on my mind anyway if I don't go …'_

He had such a messed up life and Itachi just happening to revolve around the centre of said messed up life complicated things further. How to deal with him? Naruto dismissed the violent options as no go. He never wanted to see something like Northside again. The police? Officials? No, Sasuke had said that Konoha was untouchable.

He suddenly felt tired, weighed down by all these thoughts. More than ever he wanted Sasuke next to him to help him and give him advice. Sasuke could help him, but he could also destroy him. Within his hands the younger Uchiha held Naruto's life. At least, he held Naruto's emotions, and Naruto knew he was ruled by his feelings…

Tired, desperate, lovesick, a crack appeared in Naruto's determination and he decided right then that he'd go to the Uchiha household. If not to have Sasuke with him for just a moment, then to have him for a little longer.

* * *

The bell rang and students poured from the gates, running straight into the glorious weekend with carefree disposition. Somewhat lacking in this, Sasuke unlocked his car in the student parking and got in with a barely noticeable nervousness, shutting the door stolidly behind him and starting up the engine.

Would Naruto be waiting for him, he thought. He hoped that he was, and that he hadn't disappeared somewhere else in the past few hours. Even worse than knowing the dobe wasn't around him was not knowing where he was at all.

'_He is too accident prone,'_ he thought grimly, and although comedic relief came as a bonus it didn't change the fact that most of Naruto's incidents involved either injury or some sort of trauma. Unless the 'injury' was limping for a few days, Sasuke wasn't placated.

He reversed his car out of the lot and turned into the main street. Most of the buses were already gone and he found the long expanse of road to be peacefully quiet as he drove towards his mansion. It left him alone with his thoughts.

'_He's been so upset about everything lately,'_ he thought with a pang. He knew he was responsible, at least for some of it. But even in a normal breakup things shouldn't have gotten this bad.

'_We could at least still be on talking terms.'_

He winced as he remembered that in normal breakups, people didn't try to force themselves onto their partner either. He heaved a sullen breath as he turned a corner upon the lights changing to green. His fingers began to drum on the leather grip impatiently and a frown knitted his eyebrows.

'_I can fix that later,' _he thought, shaking his head to try and make himself more rational. Healing his and Naruto's relationship was the most important thing but to do that he needed to get rid of another obstacle first._ 'Right now, I need to sort out Itachi and get him away from us. Without killing him.'_

Close to impossible, but he'd think of something. Shipping him to the middle of the desert in some other country seemed like an extremely viable and attractive option at the moment. Too bad that knowing Itachi to be the creep he was, he'd possibly get out of there without so much as sunburn across his sneering face. Sasuke turned the wheel sharply left into his street, his house coming into view on the hill.

Out of nowhere a sleek, red car jolted towards him from the other direction over the hill and Sasuke was forced to slam his foot down onto the break, his black sports car skidding sideways to a halt. The red car shrieked as it similarly tried to stop. It span a half revolution before its bonnet collided with the exposed back of Sasuke's car, metal crunching audibly. There was a 'whoosh' sound and grey smoke began wafting from the other car's engine as both cars slid some meters from the impact.

"What the -!" Sasuke rubbed the back of his head, having bashed it against the headrest in the backlash. Angrily, he growled in the back of his throat as in the rear mirror he saw the other driver get out from his car and stand between the two vehicles, surveying the damage done.

'_If this is some other idiot wanting compensation, I'll __**kill**__ them,'_ he thought viciously, forgetting his newfound concept of peace and unbuckling his seatbelt with murderous vigour. He threw open his car door and stormed around the car to the other man. The street wasn't very busy and they weren't blocking any traffic so negotiations could start and finish here. If he was smart he'd take what he could get now before the matter was taken to court.

"What were you _doing_?" Sasuke snarled hostilely to the man bent over the smoking engine. His eyes flickered momentarily to his house on the hill and he remembered to make this quick. He redirected his attention to the man still with his head in the engine, and clucked his tongue angrily.

"Oh!" The man straightened and Sasuke glimpsed short black hair and dark eyes before he bowed and smoke billowed between them. "My apologies! I lost control of the car and it just skidded! I should've had the engine checked ages ago you see, but I never got around to it because –"

"I am not interested in your excuses," Sasuke said coldly. "How much do you want? You don't need to make up some story, just take the money and get out of my sight." He extracted his wallet from his shirt pocket and held it between them, watching the man impatiently for his reaction.

"No!" The man shook his head frantically through the smouldering grey, his hands gesturing wildly at the same time. "I couldn't possibly take your money! It was my fault after all!"

Sasuke paused and spared him a blank glance that didn't connect through the smoke. So the man wasn't after money. First time he'd seen that happen. He remembered where he was supposed to be again and re-pocketed his wallet hastily.

"If you don't want compensation then I'll be leaving now," he said in irritation, and he turned around back towards the open driver's door.

"Wait!"

Sasuke stopped with his hand on the door and turned around, supremely annoyed. The man twiddled his thumbs nervously through the smoke like some caught child and said, "We have to report this to the police, it's the rules." Sasuke stared at him in disbelief before covering it with a sneer.

"This is Konoha," he said primly, speculating if this person was from out of town. "We don't report anything."

"But, but – it's _rules_!" the man spluttered.

"Look, it doesn't change a thing whether those over indulging idiots know or not," Sasuke said harshly, his patience wearing thinner than ever. He took a proper look at the man as the smoke began to blow away in a soft breeze. The man's voice took on a whining quality completely unlike Naruto's endearing, childlike one.

"You need to go with me to the police station," he complained. Sasuke was just about on the verge of passing off the man as either an outsider or plain naïve at this point. He turned on his heel, prepared to just take the rest of the distance to his mansion by foot and ignore the nuisance.

"Wait!" the whining voice from behind called out. Sasuke kept on walking, his mind already drifting to Naruto.

"Come on!" the voice continued. It appeared to be getting closer. "Sasuke-saaaan!" With this Sasuke stopped walking, attention caught. His teeth clenched. He hadn't told the man his name…

His hands were instantly at his pockets, fingers searching the flat fabric. With dread he remembered that he'd gotten rid of all his firearms and the closest knife was in the front of his car. He whipped around, planning to use his fists instead. A safety trigger was pulled back and Sasuke stared right into the silver barrel of a derringer.

"See!" the man said in annoyance, still retaining his high whine. "I told you to wait up! I don't like blood!" Sweat broke out at Sasuke's neck and forehead as he closed his eyes for when the trigger would irrevocably be squeezed and for everything to disappear. Into red. Then black. Then eternal nothingness…

He hadn't really expected to lose Naruto this way. Rather, he hadn't planned to lose Naruto at all. He was going to disappear and death had never looked bleaker -no longer a place of nothingness but a place without Naruto. His final thoughts would be in angst. Even worse than not knowing where Naruto was, was knowing he was with Itachi.

"_Oh, shit…" _

Sasuke creaked open an eye that he didn't realize he'd closed when he heard the unintended mutter. Through his eyelashes he saw the other raven with his head half-turned, not wanting to get splattered with blood once he shot. To his utter surprise the man squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip just before his finger pushed.

Sasuke bolted and the shot missed, flying way over his head into the distance. His opponent's eyes flashed open when he didn't feel the expected, tell-tale drops. Sasuke made a quick grab for the firearm. The man was agile and the gun had disappeared from sight before Sasuke's fingers could close around it.

"No!" the man shrieked. He stumbled backwards then pulled the gun in front of him, aiming everywhere as his eyes betrayed his panic. Sasuke froze as shots went in every direction.

* * *

The bus disappeared around another street behind him as Naruto slowly pushed open the gates and approached the huge Uchiha mansion. He was unbelievably nervous. It wasn't even like he hadn't seen Sasuke for ages – just that morning they were in the same classroom. His hands trembled unexplainably and it took two tries to insert his copy of the key into the brass lock. He failed to notice that it slid open without a click.

It _did_ click when it closed behind him but Naruto was already halfway up the staircase, having already slipped his shoes off outside. Complete and utter silence ushered him towards the top, broken only by an occasional loud footstep.

"Sasuke," he called out as he approached his room. When he was unanswered he sighed and entered the empty bedroom gloomily. The curtains were drawn, making the navy and black room even more dark than usual. For awhile Naruto just stood there, inhaling the familiar scent that reminded him of Sasuke. The open album on the table caught his attention and he walked to it, seeing atop it were the two pieces of the photo Sasuke had torn previously. Sasuke and Itachi were each on a separate portion and Naruto picked them up, one in each hand, staring at them.

'_This isn't how brothers are,'_ he thought. He put them down, aligning them and fitting the two pieces into an almost flawless whole on the blank page.

'_What went wrong?' _he thought glumly. He shifted Itachi's piece and the fissure became obvious again, white edges startlingly clear against the shiny photo paper. He looked around the desk. _'What made everything go completely wrong?'_

After a few minutes he emerged from Sasuke's room. Sasuke obviously wasn't home yet, and he didn't want to wait for him in that room. Everything in his bedroom screamed the younger Uchiha, from the exceptional neatness to the astoundingly boring colour scheme. Except that the person himself wasn't there. Naruto had his own memories of Sasuke; he didn't need anything else enflaming his senses. He treaded across the deep, blue carpet to the upstairs lounge.

As he passed each closed door in the long corridor, beneath lights which he only just realized were turned on, his senses were struck up again. This time they had nothing to do with Sasuke. There was the feeling of being _watched_. With a chill, Naruto sped up his pace, striding past each white door and feeling a particular shudder as he passed Itachi's room.

Was it his imagination, or did he hear soft breathing…?

At the very end of the corridor he stopped. The prickling feeling had increased and it couldn't be Sasuke. He looked behind him. The long corridor was completely empty and as if to scare him, the light above him flickered eerily. The person was in the lounge. Pressing his back against the wall, Naruto considered his options.

"Itachi," he whispered beneath his breath, beyond doubt. There were no other Akatsuki left that could be here. Now that he thought about it, this was their first real encounter since he'd recovered his memories. Standing there, frozen, it struck him that it was impossible for him to talk rationally with Itachi. This was…_terror._

He slapped a hand to his cheek to snap himself from an impending stupor and cursed his stupidity when the sound echoed loudly, taking excruciatingly long to completely disappear as the mansion became silent once more. He craned his neck for as large an angle as he dared and saw nothing around the corner. He turned back around, heart racing. He quickly looked back down the corridor, while another hand felt the phone in his pocket. He could hide in one those rooms and lock it, then call for help. He could stack up the furniture behind the door and close the windows; surely Itachi wouldn't be able to get in…What was that thing above that door?

Naruto slid away from the wall cautiously and took a step forwards, closer to the other door. He peered at the small, black disk just above the door frame and his eyes widened as he turned and recoiled, heartbeat stopping.

'_Oh God!'_

There! Right there! Now that he was away from the wall, Naruto could see what he was unable to see with his back at the corner, and what the reflective lenses of the camera had finally shown him. Someone stood with his back against the wall, arms folded as he smirked around the same corner. A familiar smirk. He'd been _inches_ away!

"I see you've become more observant."

_Itachi!_

_Terror. _

Bleeding, red eyes as bloody as that night, a lie. And now they looked at him again. He felt himself drowning in them.

_Itachi patted Naruto lightly on the head. No one had ever approached him like Itachi. 'It feels…brotherly.' _

'_This isn't how brothers are.'_

"_Little brother, why don't you just go and play?"_

'_No…please. Don't leave…'_

_Don't leave me!_

Snap out of it!

Naruto pulled out his phone. His breathing was already laboured from his violently beating heart and sweat covered his hands. The phone slipped through his numb fingers and dropped uselessly to the ground, Sasuke's ID fading from the screen as he took a step backwards.

How was it possible that he was so scared of this man? He took another shaky step back. Hadn't they had a normal dinner along with Sasuke not very long ago? Itachi seemed to be thinking along the same lines and frowned. His voice, same as then, yet so different now, froze Naruto.

"What is wrong? Naruto…?" Itachi paused. The boy before him was trembling. Those eyes…he still hadn't seen those eyes yet.

"Look at me," he commanded. Naruto's body stiffened and he kept his head down, avoiding eye contact. Frustrated, Itachi stepped forward and jerked Naruto's chin up, clashing together blue and red with a muffled shout from the boy.

Finally. Azure. Beautiful, swimming shades of oceanic blue interwoven with soft touches of startling cornflower. Eyes so indiscernible that Itachi found himself adoring his inability to understand Naruto's thoughts through them. He was attracted to this exact mystery, the rebellion against control, and the nerve to carry out such actions in the first place.

And, best of all, holding a desire to become the only one to control such a person.

Naruto's wits had returned to him and he slapped the hand away, making a break back into the corridor. From experience he knew who would win in a hand to hand fight.

Too slow. A single, powerful hand dug nails into his shoulder and he winced, stopping. Itachi kicked the phone beneath his feet into the wall, smashing it apart before pulling Naruto backwards into the lounge room. Naruto found his traitorous voice and rasped out demandingly.

"Let go of me!" His fist found the back of Itachi's neck. Itachi stopped walking, his hand still on Naruto's forearm. Naruto almost hit him again, his hand raised halfway. But then Itachi's head slowly began turning to face him and all of his courage was gone. He felt his knees prepare to give way as he despaired. An insane, almost joyous smile lit up Itachi's lips as he watched and Naruto knew that for his strike, Itachi would demand an even more horrible punishment.

"That's more like the Naruto I know," he said.

Caramel coloured leather sank beneath their weight as Itachi quickly pushed him backwards onto the long couch, settling himself on top of him. Where as with Sasuke Naruto had made to strike, his hands now rested uselessly next to his head as the red eyes above him held him in place.

_Terror._

"These scars," Itachi said as he drew cold fingers across his cheeks. Naruto shuddered. Itachi and Sasuke, no matter how similar other people said they looked, were completely different in his eyes. This touch was repulsive and wrong. He pulled his head back, away from the fingers tracing each whisker.

"Don't _touch _me," he hissed, astounded that he still had the ability to make commands. Immediately a yelp tore from him as Itachi pushed their bodies together viciously.

"Kakuzu should have known better," Itachi said softly, fingers brushing the scars again. "You are mine."

To make his point he dipped his head gracefully into Naruto's neck and licked a long line up from his collarbone. Disgusted, Naruto tried to inch away from the wet muscle to no avail, closing his eyes from the long strands of black brushing against his skin. At the junction with his shoulder Itachi bit down harshly and Naruto forced his scream to stay in his throat, eyes reopening in shock and pain. The raven head in his face paused and Itachi's eyes were displeased when he raised his features, licking away a single drop of blood on his lips.

"After all this time," he said lowly. "After all this time, you_ still_ oppose me." Suddenly rebellious, Naruto pushed Itachi's chest, only managing to force him off his hips.

"I always will," he said. The man across observed him carefully from beneath lowered eyelashes. Itachi's terrifying, wicked smile began to return, splitting his mouth and revealing sharp teeth. Naruto's mind called out for Sasuke.

"Then we return to the hard way."

This time he did scream when Itachi was above him again and he flailed his body to try and buck the other man off. Using his thighs, Itachi forced Naruto's legs apart and on either side of his own waist as he gripped Naruto's face by the chin. Naruto was momentarily reminded of Sasuke doing the same thing, but it disappeared instantaneously when Itachi's lips and tongue plundered his mouth against his will. With his hands he gripped Itachi's shoulders and tried to push him off, horrified when he only moaned into his mouth. Seeing no other option, he bit down on the invading tongue and gagged the moment Itachi recoiled and he was free. Itachi's eyes quickly melted into fury.

"Why do you challenge me?" he demanded loudly. He slapped Naruto hard across the face, momentarily dazing him. "Just enjoy this Naruto." He ground their nether regions together and Naruto threw his head back, biting his lip so hard blood seeped into his mouth. "We'll be together again like in Northside. You enjoyed being with me. Don't deny it." He tried to bring their faces together again and Naruto flinched.

"Are you insane?!" he screamed back. He pulled his leg free and whilst Itachi was registering his outburst he kicked him with all his strength in the chest, making him crash over the table and into a chair before skidding onto the carpet. There, he turned his head sideways on the ground, his eyes showing his disbelief as Naruto got shakily to his legs.

"Why?" Itachi croaked out in his position. "Why don't you give up?" Naruto leant against the sofa arm, steadying himself.

"I did enjoy those times," he admitted bitterly, looking sadly acrossat Itachi. "But not in the way you think. I thought of it as time with what could be a brother. It was my mistake, and because of that…everyone else had to pay for it."

'_And I did too.'_

"A…brother?" Itachi whispered.

"No more," Naruto answered softly, his voice breaking. "From that moment you drugged me, I wanted nothing more to do with you."

"I didn't want to do that," Itachi said, getting upright. His voice was trying to be gentle, trying to make Naruto understand. "I asked you before and you said no. You wouldn't give me even a chance." Naruto shook his head. He wasn't getting anything across at all.

"You're a liar," he said, and any harshness he'd tried to hold failed him and left his voice weak. Weak, and so desperately tired.

'_Sasuke…'_

"You know as well as I do that I'd just be a fling," Naruto said tiredly. "You lied to me about everything. I didn't even _know_ you were in Akatsuki until you tried killing us."

Itachi's throat made an involuntary gurgle and he said pressingly, "You're important to me. I won't settle for a brother Naruto. Even if it means making sure I'm your _only_ person…I'll possess you." Possess. Break. Control.

"Then you're too late," Naruto said shortly.

"No…"

"I wanted to forget about everything that happened. I wanted to forget the pain, even though it meant I had to forget all the good times too. Then Sasuke came along and you returned and now I know…" he smiled sadly. "I can't run away anymore. For Sasuke's sake as well as my own. I want you to let me go Itachi."

Itachi stared at him. That sad smile. Not for his sake, but for Sasuke. His everything, his love, all given to Sasuke. Yet Itachi had met him first, had kissed him first, had _planned_ everything first. And now Naruto was heading around the table, closer to the top of the stairs, ready to completely destroy his plan.

"Itachi. I don't think you ever loved me that way. If you did…perhaps things would be different."

Then Naruto was about to disappear down the stairs, and his hand was on the banister. Itachi stared as if a reverie, pondering Naruto's words. He was no longer on the ground but standing on his feet, watching someone undeniably important to him leave him. Naruto's face was upset as though this departure was hurting him as well. Something began to soften in Itachi's chest, and a deep ache started.

_Free him_. The silent wish hanging between them.

Silence.

An ear-splitting crack as a gun was shot.

Naruto jerked and stopped, his face raised in shock towards the window. Birds escaped from the roof past the glass in a torrent of white and Itachi, unfazed, re-found himself as Naruto whispered, "Sasuke." All at once the blonde's features were of fear and he was back at the top of the steps.

"What did you do?!" he screamed at the elder Uchiha, his brilliant, blue eyes widened with fright and an unwanted realisation. Several more cracks followed and Naruto ran back around the table towards the window. Itachi saw the worry overtaking Naruto's features as he rushed past.

He couldn't live with it. He couldn't stand it. He couldn't _comprehend_ that worry Naruto had for another.

After everything he'd done…this wasn't going to end now.

Before Naruto could reach the window Itachi was suddenly in front of him. Naruto blinked back accumulating tears born of a combination of worry, grief and anger as he forced his eyes from the window to the taller man.

"What did you do to him?!" he shouted hysterically. "He's your _brother!_ You're insane!" He tried to step around and Itachi blocked him. He pushed him away. "Leave me alone!"

"I love you Naruto."

"You don't, let me go!"

"I'm sorry it has to be this way."

As Naruto tried to force past him again Itachi grabbed him by the neck with one hand, stopping him with a painful gasp on his behalf. With his other he shoved him backwards onto the table. Naruto cried freely now and his eyes never left the window over Itachi's shoulders.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke," he kept on whispering brokenly.

"Forget about him Naruto. There's only me now," Itachi muttered. He was more than a little irritated now. The person he'd met before had never cried before in his sight and now he was doing it so easily for the world to see, not even caring. But his words sent Naruto over the edge.

"If you hurt Sasuke I'll never forgive you!" he screamed, water flowing steadily from swimming blue. "Nothing you do will change anything…I'll only ever love Sasuke."

Itachi stared at the screaming boy beneath him. In his complete, emotionally-wrecked state he had also finally revealed the vulnerability Itachi had wanted. But not for him. It wasn't him whom the boy screamed for. Never would he be the one Naruto yearned to hold and be held by. If that was the case…

Part of Naruto was torn away from Sasuke and his eyes had to flicker back to what was going on when Itachi grabbed his arms and waist. Naruto caught only an unreadable, crazed expression in Itachi's eyes before he jerked him back roughly and turned him around, slamming his stomach against the table edge so hard that blood raced up his throat. He tried to turn his head only to have Itachi grip his hair and smash his forehead painfully against the table, stunning him.

An arm wrapped around his waist from behind and he flinched, accidentally moving backwards against Itachi's hips. The hands at his waist now snaked upwards to his chest, pressing and touching his skin possessively. In response he jerked his elbow backwards into Itachi's face, causing blood to flow swiftly from his nose with a crack. The weight on his back lessened and Naruto thought for a moment Itachi would stop.

Then a hand wound around his right wrist and Naruto only had time to notice the crested ring on a finger before he screamed in agony.

Blood.

He gasped weakly at the long knife that impaled his hand, going straight through the back in a bloody mess and trapping itself at least an inch deep in the wood. He tried to move it and cried out as his entire arm jolted. The pain was going in throbbing twinges through his very bone, causing his vision to swim as he almost fell into a black sleep.

Surveying his work with satisfaction, Itachi revelled that he could at least draw pain and screams from Naruto.

Naruto tried to lift himself up. The blood had already reached the table edge and dripped steadily onto the carpet below. Perhaps Itachi had severed a vein. Maybe he'd die, and then he could join Sasuke. That was his only solacing thought.

Weight fell upon him again and Itachi's hand…it was touching him, feeling where only Sasuke should. Naruto smashed his own forehead against the table to stop himself from reacting to the touches. His fingers gripped the wood, impaling his right hand further across the blade of the knife and his lips parted in a tortured scream. Sweat matted his blonde locks across the table as he turned his head sideways on the wood, tears falling from wide eyes as he stared out the window at the azure sky.

Cold hands slipped beneath the waist of his pants. He shivered and turned his face away, burying it in the wood in shame. Itachi managed to force another involuntary cry from him when several fingers roughly entered him at the same time as the other calloused hand drew across his shaft in a mixture of pain and disgraceful pleasure.

He felt himself ripping in more ways than one and out of Itachi's sight, darkness began to creep into his blank eyes as he began to sob. Itachi's fingers mercilessly scissored in and out, hitting his nerves with horrible accuracy each time and making his body writhe against any intention. Itachi's own length was definitely unmistakable now, pressing eagerly against him. His torturer finally pulled his fingers from him and took his hand from his pants, taking them to his own belt and unfastening the buckle.

Naruto felt completely empty as he listened to the audible click of the buckle. He shuddered on the table. Everything was starting to morph before his eyes. He couldn't have that much more blood to lose, he thought as he fixated on the blurry puddles of red. He still had enough to keep him conscious though, and he felt Itachi's fingers touch him again at his waist, fumbling at his zipper.

Never…he'd never betray Sasuke that way. Even if he was going to die now, he'd meet Sasuke again without being tainted. His head gave a dull throb, telling him it wasn't long now till his body would give way. The knife in front of him shone innocently beneath rustic red, offering itself.

_'Only Sasuke.'_

His left hand rushed forwards and gripped the handle.

_Pain blossomed across his chest with the blood. He grinned through it as he raised his head upwards to a harshly burning sun. The handle that he'd driven through himself loosened from his grip as all thought disappeared, and the grin slipped as his body began to fall over the edge to an inevitable death. _

_Then…and then, the nine-tailed demon would be where he belonged, with all the other Jinchuuriki in their Hell._

He tore the knife from the table and his hand, hearing the wood and bone splinter beneath a fresh wave of even more agonizing pain. He turned it around, blade facing in his direction. Itachi's breath caught from behind and he smiled.

But…this time would be different. He wasn't aiming for Hell anymore. Sasuke was probably in Heaven after all.

So instead of driving the knife into himself, Naruto swung it behind his shoulder. A splatter of wet blood on his shoulder told him he'd contacted, and an outraged scream met his ears. The weight lifted instantly and Naruto got to his feet, the knife torn from his grip.

Turning around, he saw Itachi now holding the knife in one hand and his other hand covering his left eye. A huge amount of blood soaked his clothes and Naruto could only assume he'd blinded him. Itachi panted heavily from the exertion before he raised his other enraged eye to lock onto Naruto's.

He lunged and Naruto didn't quite have the strength left to catch up. The impact with his chest knocked him from the ground and backwards through the air. His back hit something and when it cracked and shattered, cutting into him, he vaguely realized it was the glass barrier at the top of the stairs.

He winced with pain that already seemed to be numbing as he fell backwards in apparent slow motion through a shower of glass shards, towards the staircase 7 metres below. Head tilting backwards as he surrendered to the inviting darkness, he thought he saw Itachi screaming from above as another scream echoed from somewhere at the open doorway, through which sunlight was now pouring, shining to him like a beacon...

If anything else happened it was lost to him. Before he even hit the stairs all conscious thought was gone and his body merely contacted without pain, limbs twisting and shattering on silent ears.

* * *

_**To Be Continued…**_

Yummy. Climax.

Review people!!!! Not much more to go! Don't let me down now.

Michiyami.


	26. Sasuke, Naruto, Itachi

" "- speaking

' '_-thinking_

* * *

_**--Chapter Twenty-Six--**_

_**--Sasuke, Naruto, Itachi--**_

There was blood everywhere and for a moment, it was all that filled Sasuke's vision. He was temporarily overcome by gripping nausea.

Then he saw Naruto's body falling down to the staircase together with a shower of raining glass, and he shouted. Cold, obsidian eyes that normally hid feelings so well were thwarted yet again as he ran towards the blonde, following his descent and nothing else. Through the temporary silence he knew he'd never make it. Before his very eyes Naruto hit the stairs and began sliding down, rolling like a broken doll.

Sound returned at the same time as Naruto impacted. Blood splattered the steps and walls that Naruto touched like some ghastly canvas. It saturated his clothes and the glass as he slid further away from the living. Sasuke held out his arms and caught his body at the second flight of steps. Through his numbness he saw with dread that there was no movement in the body held tightly in his arms. The arm against him was bent at an awkward angle, the shirt had been shredded by glass and worst of all was the steadily bleeding hand. Sasuke cradled him, his shattered lover. His own countenance was broken.

"Naruto! Naruto!"

He looked down and shook the limp form desperately and screamed his name until his hoarse voice failed. But Naruto's face, streaked with blood and cuts and tears didn't show him life or beloved blue eyes. Instead, bruised lips were parted soundlessly. Soft, cold skin was deathly pale beneath the red, turning grey. Tears smudged Sasuke's own vision and he didn't realize the person that'd ran past them. Only Naruto.

"No, no, no…"

He hugged Naruto, putting his face against his neck and tightening his vice grip around him as he sat there on those bloody steps. He screamed against matted blonde hair. No words, nothing but a chilling dissension of his anguish. It echoed through the rest of the empty mansion.

All on deaf ears.

_

* * *

_

A thin layer of glass was all that separated them.

It might as well have been several brick walls as Sasuke pressed his hand against the smooth coldness. Through his looking glass he could see into the room filled with beeping machines and white. On the bed Naruto's painfully still body rested. He was covered with wires, bandages and tubes that fed him blood and other liquids. Two doctors hovered around his bed and were discussing something over the clipboards in their hands. Sasuke's fingers clenched and he dropped his forehead onto the glass.

"I'm sorry," he heard a nurse saying from somewhere behind. "We cannot let any visitors in at the moment. He is still extremely unstable. He lost a large amount of blood and there are injuries to several vital organs."

Someone sobbed and Sasuke closed his eyes.

"Uchiha!" With a shrill cry a hand grabbed his collar and he was jerked around to face the owner.

He reopened his eyes and saw brimming almond pupils hovering above him. Tsunade raised her hand and Sasuke let himself be held as it was brought down. Let them punish him. He needed it. But when it didn't connect he shifted his attention to the man holding her back, and felt another wave of guilt as their gazes connected. Jiraiya's expression was unreadable as he looked down at Sasuke.

"It's best if you wait outside for a moment," he said to him quietly.

Sasuke hesitated before turning around. He looked at Naruto once more through the glass, then forced his eyes away and walked past the other two and out the door.

He slid the door closed behind him and instantly the hallway fell into darkness. He looked up and down the shadowed corridor. Every single door was closed to him and the lights above had been turned off. In the darkness was where he was and in the darkness was where he'd stay, until his light returned to him. So he moved like a spectre to the hard bench he knew was directly across from the doorway and sat down.

A clock ticked away somewhere.

Shuffling and weeping echoed from every room.

Sasuke gripped his thighs so hard that blood began seeping through his hasty bandages. He sat with his head down when the door to Naruto's room finally opened and a shadow touched him. Jiraiya gave a long, piteous sigh as he closed the door again. He took long strides and to some surprise, merely sat down on the bench next to him. Sasuke gave no movement and Jiraiya huffed.

"What," the man said deeply, "do you think you're doing?"

Sasuke looked sideways at him through his frame of hair. Jiraiya shook his head at the ground. "Is this grief?" the man murmured, seemingly to himself.

"It is not," Sasuke answered instantly, and his voice shuddered. He turned away and dropped his face into his palms, gripping his hair. His lips trembled when he spoke. "If anyone can recover – _deserves_ to recover from that," he said in a muffled voice, "it's Naruto. He'll wake up. He never wanted any of this. He doesn't deserve this happening to him. If there's anyone who does it's me."

"Regret doesn't help Naruto right now," Jiraiya said hardly. He ran a hand through his own white hair then settled it against the wall and leant against it. He looked up, even though Sasuke knew he would barely be able to see anything. "I doubt he wants it," the man murmured.

A bitter smile appeared on Sasuke's lips.

"Perhaps," he said. Jiraiya turned to face him and Sasuke's throat caught. There was himself, mirrored in his eyes and looking pathetically small.

"Just because I'm not punching you into the intensive ward," Jiraiya said coldly, "and because I'm talking to you, doesn't mean I let this pass. Naruto is still not past the critical stage. Tsunade and I killed ourselves getting here."

"I know," Sasuke said, feeling a wrench at the words. "I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't expect any of you to."

Perhaps Jiraiya hadn't been expecting such a calm acceptance, and he stared hard and long at him. When he next spoke he looked away as if reluctant to divulge the information. "You're wrong about one part," he said in a low voice. "Naruto already has."

Sasuke's sat up just a little bit straighter. "Did – did Naruto say something to you?" he asked hesitantly.

"He doesn't have to say anything because it's obvious he loves you and will never change," Jiraiya said shortly. He shook his head and his eyes clouded over with regret. "He fought with me and Tsunade when we told him to forget you," he murmured. "He was stubborn. The idiot…"

Sasuke turned away guiltily. Naruto had fought with the closest people he had to relatives, and it was because of him. His hands clenched. On his arm the bandages were quickly staining but he didn't really desire to stop it. At the moment, he wanted pain…

"You have no right to be angry," came the voice from next to him. "If even Naruto could forgive you for everything, I'm going to at least do something for him and make sure you can't beat yourself up."

"Why can't I?" Sasuke whispered. "Naruto…that dobe! How can he just-" He broke off. How Naruto would still be able to forgive him now was beyond him. Naruto was half-dead because of him. Sasuke wouldn't take the whole blame, Itachi was responsible too. But Sasuke blamed himself for the deteriorating relationship that led up to this, and if Naruto really didn't care about that, then Sasuke would just have to punish himself. For the both of them. Jiraiya spoke.

"You've done worse before."

Sasuke stiffened. Did Jiraiya know about what he'd done to Naruto at the mansion? He closed his eyes. That was another thing that he'd never be able to wipe from his memories. Another reason for Naruto to possibly hate him.

"I don't think Naruto would've told you," Jiraiya said sadly and Sasuke's expression sharpened, eyes reopening in confusion as he turned to face the man.

"What…are you talking about?"

Jiraiya met his gaze. Sasuke almost flinched, but Jiraiya could definitely see the love there. Undeniably guilt too, but then…that was a part of his love as well. Perhaps he could forgive him.

"I know that last year you were with your brother in Northside," he said to him. "I saw you and Naruto met you too." Sasuke pulled back a little.

"I never saw him. I'd remember," he said. In Northside he hadn't met that many people to begin with, and he certainly didn't get close to anyone.

Jiraiya rubbed his forehead with his fingers. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"Do you remember a day when you went back to your hotel room and your brother was already there with someone?"

Sasuke faltered but Jiraiya looked at him expectantly, so Sasuke raked his memories. Most of the time Itachi hadn't even come back at all. When he did he was normally sleeping and they left each other well alone. Sasuke himself spent most of his time in the hotel except when he'd have to eat.

He remembered there was one time though, where he stayed somewhere else. It was that day when Itachi had kicked him back out and he'd had to find lodgings at a different hotel. Itachi wanted to be alone that day. He was flustered and argued with Sasuke. Then Sasuke saw there was someone else in the room on the bed, because there'd been a trembling hand.

'_You're sick,' he hissed at Itachi. _

Sasuke tensed as he recalled he hadn't seen that person's face. He flinched and stood up, twisting around to grab Jiraiya by the front of his shirt.

"That person in the hotel!?" he said hysterically, dreading the answer.

"Yes," Jiraiya said heavily. "The person you left behind that day was Naruto." Sasuke slackened and his eyes widened, blacks dilating. Then the full impact of what he'd done hit him.

'_He saw me. He saw me leave him. I __**abandoned**__ him.' _

Sasuke's lips parted weakly and Jiraiya avoided the boy's eyes. Gently, he eased his hands off.

Did Naruto remember? That his boyfriend had once helped in his downfall? Even a normal person would've helped, and Sasuke hadn't done anything.

Sasuke's hands dropped limply to his side.

"Naruto will hate me," he whispered. Sasuke definitely wasn't fond of himself.

"Wrong again Sasuke," Jiraiya said, re-using his given name. "He already remembered, and nothing changed."

"I didn't save him," Sasuke said hollowly. It was as if Jiraiya hadn't said anything. "I just left him there."

"_I_ saved him." Jiraiya stood up as well and towered over Sasuke.

"I saw you leaving and I know you weren't happy about it, else I would've thrown a vase at you too," he said. "Something about that memory cleared up things for Naruto. He doesn't blame you."

'_I'm sorry, Naruto.'_

"How would you know?" Sasuke said bitterly, and his right hand hit the wooden bench, shaking it. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"He told us himself. He screamed at us and said he'd never hate you." When Jiraiya spoke again, it was in a softer tone.

"If Naruto could forgive you, you don't have anymore business sulking and feeling guilty. If anything, he is the one who should hate you the most." He let his words sink in.

Sasuke didn't reply and Jiraiya heaved another deep sigh. He needed time. His heavy footsteps went past Sasuke and the door slid open before it closed again and left him alone.

Tsunade turned her head slightly as Jiraiya re-entered. "What did you do?" she muttered nasally from her place next to the glass.

"I told him he has no right to be depressed," Jiraiya said from the door. He walked to her and put a hand gently on her shoulder, looking into the other room. "Aren't you going to punch me for stopping you before?" he murmured.

Tsunade slowly closed her eyes and shook her head very slightly. "No," she uttered. "I wasn't thinking." Her eyes flickered beneath her eyelashes to the door. "Thank you." There was no need or place for her to punish Sasuke right now. The sobs and screams coming through the door said it all.

* * *

By the time Jiraiya and Tsunade had to leave because visiting hours were over, Sasuke was no longer sitting outside. Night had fallen. Confused and gloomy, Sasuke caught a taxi from the front of the hospital back home. His own car wasn't usable as of a few hours ago and his throat constricted. Only some hours previous had he been driving home from school, and Naruto had still been safe and healthy.

Time was slipping dangerously quickly through their fingers. There was so much of he and Naruto's past, present and future that could have been intertwined but which was now unclear.

When Sasuke left the hospital Naruto was still unstable and the chance of sinking into a relapse coma like the past was high. He heard bits and pieces of what the nurse and Tsunade were saying, and if that happened then the likelihood of reawakening would decrease to a minuscule five percent or less. From there it would become more and more likely his body would fail and he'd die. Sasuke didn't want to consider such a scenario but it wouldn't leave his mind.

It wouldn't change his perception of Naruto. Whatever the outcome, he was sure he would do what Naruto always did for him. Even if they became separated in the most horrible way, he would stay by his side always.

Sasuke was involuntarily thinking of the possibility of seeing Naruto but at the same time, never hearing or being with him like in the past. If Naruto's consciousness disappeared he would ultimately take a lot of Sasuke with him. What they shared together would become just a weak, unfathomable memory in Sasuke's mind. A pathetic imitation of them.

That scared him to the point he couldn't stay in the hospital anymore.

Like a coward he escaped without saying bye to Naruto or his guardians. It was a selfish reason to leave. So now, in the back seat of the taxi he cursed himself for his actions and watched as his bandages turned red. He was grazed by a bullet on the thigh and one had hit his arm. Luckily, it went straight through and Sasuke didn't see the need to stay in hospital. With satisfaction, he was going to let his abrasions distract him when a voice did it for him.

"Sir."

The taxi had stopped and the driver turned around to address him directly. Sasuke looked outside the window. In the soft glow from the car lights, he saw that they were on the corner just before his street.

"I can't enter the street, there are cars parked up ahead," the taxi driver explained. He gestured to the front and Sasuke saw could see his house. Sure enough, several vehicles were parked in front of it. He gritted his teeth as he realized they were police cars, and floodlights were illuminating the scene.

"It's fine," he told the driver. "I'll get off here." He handed over a note and opened the door before the man could give him change. He jogged up to the front of his house and with an irritated stab, saw that the gates were open and several people were standing in the path leading up to his driveway. They noticed him approaching and turned to face him.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke demanded, albeit rudely. His eyes flickered sideways up the hill to his mansion. They hadn't entered his house just yet. They'd only forced open the gates. He returned his attention to the three people around him as one of them took a step forward and held out a hand. The man was tall, even more so than Jiraiya, and was swathed in a large trench coat. His face, Sasuke noticed with unease, was disfigured by several long crisscrossing scars.

"You are Sasuke Uchiha?" he asked in a deep, growling voice.

"I am," Sasuke replied coldly.

"My name is Ibiki Morino," the man said, and he extended a hand to him. "I am the head of interrogation in ANBU and my team is investigating an incident that happened here earlier in the evening."

He retracted his proffered hand when Sasuke didn't move, and his expression turned hard and authoritative. The shadows and dim light only made his scarred face appear more sinister.

"To investigate properly," he continued, "we wish to take a look at the area where Naruto Uzumaki was attacked and also…" his eyes slid to Sasuke's bandages, "where you were found with him."

"No," Sasuke answered simply. "I refuse." He crossed his arms across his chest and glared at the man. Ibiki narrowed his eyes and the men around him cowered as the air turned frigid. Light flowed like liquid across their features.

"The events preceding this investigation happened in suspicious circumstances," Ibiki said, and when he glanced at Sasuke's arm again he didn't hide that he knew just how the wound had come about. "As it is, the hospital reports all such incidents and injuries they think should be looked into. This case was deemed important considering Mr Uzumaki's past record."

A frown flitted across Sasuke's face. Naruto's records were protected. If Ibiki had the capabilities to enter those, then it was likely he knew everything about Sasuke's background as well. If that was the case then his intentions today were far from that of a normal investigation.

Ibiki's calculating eyes never left him as he continued in his deep voice.

"It would be best if you cooperate with us and let us look at the scene," he said. Then he added, "and also, if you'd answer some questions."

Sasuke growled lightly at the demand and hidden threat. He was sure the authorities' interference wouldn't help with anything. Quite the contrary…they would most probably find some reason to lock him up or at least 'invite' him to a questioning.

"I don't think any of that will be necessary," he said, and he had to force his voice to remain calm. Ibiki definitely wasn't like the pushovers at Konoha Station. "_Sir_, there is nothing in my house that will interest you." Except for maybe the blood-stained banister and glass-covered floor.

"Then some questions, perhaps?" Ibiki pressed.

"I already answered any questions the hospital had for me," Sasuke replied distractedly. He needed to get rid of their curiosity somehow.

"No, no, these are different," Ibiki assured. He smiled creepily, teeth bared in a feral manner as he lifted a document that one of his men handed to him. He dropped his eyes to the paper.

"According to statistics, you live with your brother Itachi Uchiha," he read casually. He fixed a hard, black eye on Sasuke. "Correct?"

"There is no point asking since you obviously already know that," Sasuke said irately. His eyes flared at the unneeded prompting of Itachi's name and Ibiki watched this reaction with interest.

"Where was Itachi Uchiha at the time of the incident?" Ibiki questioned. Sasuke's lips formed a hard line. If he told them that Naruto's hospitalization was a result of anything other than an accident, matters would become sticky for all of them. But Ibiki obviously wasn't stupid. He wasn't looking for a crime; he was looking for evidence.

"I have no idea where my brother was," he lied, and he watched for how Ibiki would take this answer. The man raised an eyebrow. Then he closed his eyes and shook his head in amusement.

"Mr Uchiha," he said, "if I appear like a foolish man to you then I suppose a few more scars across my face wouldn't hurt." He reopened his eyes and any amusement was gone. He was dead-serious in a moment.

"I looked at the full report issued by the hospital," he revealed. "When the ambulance arrived, they described the scene as 'blood-washed.'" He paused and Sasuke hid a grimace.

"_You_, were found with Uzumaki at the base of the staircase," Ibiki said accusingly. "The amount of blood on you from Uzumaki suggested that you'd been holding him and hadn't left his side. A phone call, however, was made half an hour earlier." With that Sasuke saw where this was going.

"Aside from that," Ibiki implored, "there is another fact that backs up my theory of there being another person present." Sasuke was trying to think up a way to throw off his interest in this case. Ibiki smiled again.

"I am a renowned interrogator for a reason," Ibiki said eerily. "I consider a lot of things that normally are not picked up as relevant. I am aware of you and your brother's less than friendly relationship, and that you and Uzumaki are sexually involved. And along with a previous event that occurred in Northside that potentially links your brother and lover, I believe I may just be able to eradicate some of the underworld's most prominent figures."

"What are you trying to get at?" he declared impatiently, feigning confusion. The air between the two was thick as all pretence was challenged. Ibiki leered.

"Psychologically…you do not have the mindset to fit the perpetrator of Uzumaki's condition. We both know it wasn't an accident. Given your relationship and your reaction to his hospitalization, I don't believe that you were the one to force that knife through his hand and kick him from the second floor." Sasuke couldn't say anything to this. If he tried to reject Ibiki's assumption then he was placing himself up as a suspect.

"Of course, I may be wrong, which is why an investigation of the scene would be desirable," Ibiki added. "However, Uzumaki's body showed signs of sexual assault. In the event of a breakup, you would become a prime suspect. But if we take into account your current condition," he said with a gesture at Sasuke's arm and leg, "as well as the time lapse between when you left your last class and arrived at home, it is unreasonable."

"Which is why," Ibiki summarised, "the phone call to the hospital, and Naruto's injuries, are the suspected actions of Itachi Uchiha."

"Those are all your assumptions," Sasuke said instantly. "You have no evidence." Ibiki's eyes flashed.

"You are treading on thin ice," he growled at him. "Your brother's disappearance only stresses his involvement in this. But I'm not trying to prove his guilt for _just_ this." Sasuke felt a shiver. Ibiki was extremely close to unveiling everything.

"If Uzumaki wakes up, I might just have the delight of placing all three of you into nice, _long_ interrogations. When that happens, I'm sure I'll find out a lot more about your secret lives."

"I don't take threats lightly," Sasuke snapped. A deadly aura emanated around him and Ibiki's henchmen were trying to find safe footing an equal distance from the two glaring men. Ibiki grinned menacingly and they scattered as he stepped forwards, face to face with Sasuke.

"Perhaps, then," he whispered to his face, "it'd be better if Uzumaki never woke up?"

Sasuke's eyes widened and he snarled, lunging and gripping the large man's collar. Around him, the other men shouted but Ibiki merely lifted a hand and they froze.

"You might be able to get away alive with threatening me," Sasuke uttered venomously under his breath, "but if you do _anything_ to Naruto, then I don't care about your stupid interrogations or whatnot. Because… you will no longer have the capabilities to even speak." He released Ibiki and shoved him backwards. The man didn't even stumble.

"Your little speech shows exactly why Itachi had to be here yesterday afternoon," he said, and there was a strange approval in his voice. "Impressive…I won't harm Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, though I am not sure if others will stay away from him. I anticipate what will happen." His eyes glinted with sadistic glee.

"I take my leave," he said, and his voice returned to a professional tone. "As of now, Uchiha Corps' assets will be frozen until the end of the investigation." At his words, all the people around them started packing up the floodlights and getting back into their vehicles. Sasuke was still, watching Ibiki as he gave a final, mocking salute before turning around.

"But, I am sure I will see you again soon."

* * *

The smell of Naruto's blood had dissipated, but the staircase was still touched with red. Sasuke's hand rested on the oak handle for a moment as he stared. Then he remembered Ibiki was still nearby, and he closed the door behind him.

Sasuke had to return here, even though he knew the place was an utter mess. Some part of him felt that he owed it to Naruto. If he'd just come back earlier, then maybe he could've stopped Itachi. Sasuke could hardly bring himself to call this house his home, but it did hold memories.

He kept his shoes on and walked across the glass on his way to the stairs. He winced, avoiding looking at the blood on the ground and walls. Upstairs, he saw the deep indent in the wood of the table and imagined Naruto there, screaming and crying as Itachi touched him…

He shook it off and fled to his room.

He blinked in surprise as he turned into his doorway and was hit by glaring light in his eyes. Squinting as he adjusted to the brightness, he realized it was coming from his window. Someone had opened it and tied up the curtains for him. The black curtains billowed lightly in the wind.

'_Naruto…'_

Light danced across everything, glinting at him from some surfaces. It shimmered off the photo album on his table.

Yesterday morning, the album had still been on his bookshelf. Sasuke sat behind his desk and flipped it open, looking for something. He ignored the early pages; Naruto wouldn't touch those. He kept on turning pages until he stopped at one covered with newly added highlighter. His fingers folded the double page down and he read the fluoro blue text.

_Hey Sasuke! _

_Don't kill me for writing in your photo album! You've got barely any photos of me in this thing! I told you I wanted to take more photos!_

Sasuke smiled slightly before he continued reading. Even Naruto's writing could sound obnoxious and childish.

_Anyway! It's so much easier to write things out. It makes me feel sad though; that it's easier to write to you than to speak to you. We used to be able to talk about anything neh? A lot has happened. We both needed time. I really hope we can go back to the way things were though. Maybe it'll be difficult, but we can figure things out. Maybe we already have by the time you read this! In which case you'll probably be grinning your head off while I try to slam this shut. Bastard. _

Sasuke tried to grin. He really did, just because it was what Naruto would expect.

_But you're the bastard I love._

That line had a paragraph of it's own at the bottom of the first page. Naruto's grammar was horrible and Sasuke couldn't keep it up. He cried instead. Jiraiya was right. Naruto never hated him. On the opposite page there was more of Naruto's writing and drawings in stinging orange. At the bottom right corner, Itachi and Sasuke's photo had been glued in so that the rip down the middle was mended. An orange bowl of ramen decorated the corner and next to the photo read:

_Even if it was fake, I preferred seeing you two like this. _

_It confuses me sometimes. When I lost my memories, I guess I thought it'd be better to just try and forget the things I didn't like. But life doesn't work like that does it? Because we can't change what we've done. We just have to take it and keep on moving. It took awhile for me to figure out, cause I'm stupid (you will never hear me say that, got it?)._

_I'm scared and I'm not sure if I should have come today. Why am I writing to you about all this? I still hope that you and Itachi can resolve things. With Itachi especially, I'm always trying to overlook the past and think that maybe, he's changed._

The phone began reading just as Sasuke read the last line underneath.

_I'm sure though, that even if me and you aren't always happy, I still prefer what we have together more than anything else._

Sasuke's hand fumbled for the mobile phone beneath the curtain. He clicked the answer button and put it quickly to his ear, eyes burning.

"Hello," he said. His voice had turned raspy.

"_Sasuke. It's Jiraiya. We're allowed to visit Naruto now."_

Sasuke's heart leapt and unbelievable relief warmed his entire body.

"I'll be right over," he said weakly, getting up from the chair. The hesitation on the other side of the phone though, made him stop. "Jiraiya?"

"_Naruto…"_

Sasuke didn't want to hear what was coming. God, he felt the world spinning and he pleaded with it to stop, and for Jiraiya to stop talking because –

"_- he's fallen back into a coma."_

* * *

Michiyami's Random Corner:

Takes a deep breath. Now that was tiring. I'm aware my writing style has changed through the course of this story, and I'm now trying to revert to one that's kind of a combination of the two. Until I do, forgive me! I need to though, because my next story will be my baby! I have to make it perfect! Compulsive disorder? Maybe.

Constructive criticism and review please! People who do so nowadays have dwindled sadly.

Until next chapter…

Love and candy from Michiyami. Michiyami loves candy too.


	27. Spiral

Authors Note: I've been bad. I am guilty of a crime I hate. I have not updated in maybe three months –dodges shoe - but life and school are currently ruling my life.– Gets hit by fail in maths- I am alive, although some might wish me dead, and writing. Please take this chapter as a token of my apologies. Although, it might seem to some to have more of a transitory mood…

I also shamelessly advertise my new one shot, _'The Genius And The Idiot.'_ A SasuNaru humor attempt, it has unfortunately not fetched positive numbers. Maybe humor just isn't my thing… Michiyami.

" "- speaking

' '_- thinking_

_Dreams/Memories/Some other sequence_

* * *

_**--Chapter Twenty-Seven--**_

_**--Spiral--**_

_Away…_

_Closer. Light. Please… don't you leave me too._

A hand tightly gripped his own. Unnoticed, something warm curled between his fingers.

_Warmth gushed around him, and flowed. He floated. He frowned. _

Someone's eyes squeezed shut. From somewhere, a nasal voice said:

"Naruto."

_That voice. I'm looking for you teme. When I find you you're in trouble. Do you know just how much it hurt for me to get here? And now I can't find you. Don't just say my name like that. What are you saying? Sasuke?_

Naruto's hand was so cold against his own. So icy, motionless, and prevalent of vindictive death. Sasuke held it in both of his and rubbed it, warming the pale skin with his own body heat. He lifted the unmoving limb up and pressed his lips against the fingers, kissing across each of them softly as he watched his slumber.

_There you are. I can feel you now. It's alright now, Sasuke._

"Come on, Naruto. I'm _here_. Wake up." He could swear he saw a frown flicker across the emotionless blonde's brow, then it was gone and he'd never know. Naruto let out a sigh on the pillow, the most movement he'd made since Sasuke arrived two hours ago.

_Alright…_

"Dobe," Sasuke tried in a strained voice. It caught as it came up his throat, trying to stop him from imitating life as it should be. Behind him other figures had just arrived and watched the impassive interaction happen in silence. His attention remained trained on Naruto. Before his eyes Naruto's breath froze. Sasuke's heart stopped beating.

_I'm so glad I found you, Sasuke._

"Tsunade! Jiraiya!"

Sasuke panicked. He leapt to his feet and the chair clattered backwards as he turned to the two. His hand clutched Naruto's as Tsunade approached him and Jiraiya threw open the door, shouting for a doctor outside. Several doctors and nurses streamed in the doorway and then their hands were separated. Sasuke blinked and by the time he'd noticed the loss of feeling, he was outside the room.

_I'll never leave you._

* * *

"He's stable again," the doctor told them.

"Is he awake?" Sasuke asked hopefully, searching the doctor's expression. The doctor shook his head sympathetically at the three standing next to him.

"I'm afraid not," he said with a sigh. Sasuke's hope drained dramatically as he continued.

"He is in a coma. I'll be honest…the chances of awakening are slim. Less than slim. At the moment his vitals are functioning reasonably well, but the main problem is beyond his injuries." Fixing his glasses distractedly upon his nose, he cupped his elbow in one hand and turned to Tsunade and continued, "Tsunade-sama, as a well-acknowledged doctor, I'm sure you understand that although your son may move and even gain back almost perfect physical health with time, the hit to his head and the emotional stress have forced him into his comatose state."

"He can get out of it can't he?" Sasuke demanded almost angrily, thinking vaguely of the recovery stories that the media publicised. "If we talk to him everyday, and make sure he gets healthy –"

"Mr Uchiha," the doctor interrupted. "It doesn't work that way. It is possible, yes. But Mr Uzumaki is experiencing a relapse, making it more dangerous. You saw what happened just then."

"Let him speak," Jiraiya said as Sasuke opened his mouth, and the doctor nodded appreciatively. Sasuke quenched his feelings for the moment, and the man reached into the front pocket of his white coat and unfolded a piece of paper for them to see.

"As part of routine, I have to show you this," he explained. The paper was filled with fine black print and with a wrench of queasiness Sasuke realized that it was the list of medicine and nutrients Naruto was receiving through his IV drip and catheter.

"Obviously, there is no way for Mr Uzumaki to consume fluids or nutrients. This is normal procedure for comas," the doctor said. "However, because he isn't exactly physically healthy at the moment and his body is weak, we need to add more medication and sugars to his intravenous therapy. If you will, Tsunade-sama…"

Tsunade nodded and blew her nose into a handkerchief. She took the list from the doctor and examined it after he left and Sasuke turned his face to the closed door. "Is there a specialist we can try?" he asked in a strained voice, searching for any hope amongst the chipped paint in the door. "Someone who's handled cases like this before?"

"The man you saw just then is the top of his field," Jiraiya said, his disappointment evident on his face. Sasuke closed his eyes.

"Sasuke," Tsunade said thickly. She had the handkerchief at her face and told him in a muffled voice, "You've been here for a long time already and visiting hours will be over soon." She pulled a smile onto her lips. "You look tired. Come back tomorrow."

Sasuke nodded reluctantly, knowing that the fatigue he could see on her face would be a mirror of his own. He quietly bid the two goodbye. He realized they still might not accept him into their family. They would want to spend some time with Naruto, alone.

He caught a cab from the front of the hospital back to his house. He was only going back to get his belongings - that morning he'd decided that he couldn't stay in the Uchiha manor in its current state. He was quite sure it was being watched by police from the outside. The blood was quickly becoming unbearable to look at, and he was growing increasingly paranoid being stuck in there.

In his room he grabbed his packed bag and keys off the table after making sure he placed the photo album back in its spot on the shelf. He carefully transferred the crystal necklace from the top of the cabinet into his wallet and took a sweeping look around the room before he left. The dark room looked the same as always - gloomy and desolate. Sasuke flicked the switch. The entire upper floor was almost identical to how it'd been years ago, and outside in the night, he closed the oak doors behind him.

As he exited the vast grounds and was swallowed up by darkness, he wondered why had he never noticed before, how agonizingly lonely it was?

* * *

_Beep Beep Beep Beep _

Sasuke frowned and turned his head on his hard, uncooperative pillow. Eyes blinking, his fingers dug around and found his phone in the front of his bag, and he flipped it open to read the text message from Shikamaru.

_--Where are you and Naruto? Why aren't you at school, did something happen?—_

'_I completely forgot to tell them,' _Sasuke thought, letting out a groan as he pulled himself upright.

He texted back to tell him that they were in the hospital. He paused, and then decided against divulging Naruto's condition until the group arrived. If he was right, they'd be here in less than an hour. He winced as he pocketed his phone, feeling his muscles and bones creak stubbornly with each movement.

'_Who knew hospital benches could be so painful,' _he thought darkly.

His watch said it was 9am and the reception had already been open for two hours. Dejected at having been caught sleeping while people walked past, Sasuke hurriedly collected together his jacket and bag, glaring at anyone who looked at him.

"Whoa, were you sleeping out here Sasuke?" an annoying voice quipped. Sasuke turned around as he hauled his bag across his shoulder and with the slightest surprise saw Kiba standing there in his hospital gown. He felt a flash of guilt as he realized he'd completely forsaken visiting him for the past few days. Kiba's brow creased and returning to reality, Sasuke realized Kiba was asking something.

"Why are you here?" Kiba repeated in a sing-song voice. "You didn't say you were visiting."

Sasuke swallowed. "Sorry Kiba, I wasn't here to see you," he said, and Kiba's eyes widened.

"Is it one of the others?!" he panicked instantly. "Wait, it has to be – if it was Itachi you wouldn't be here- what the hell happened?"

"Naruto's in hospital," he said, and his lover's name blessed his lips with a gentle reverence. He watched Kiba's expression morph to horror, and his own eyelids lowered. "Come on."

His voice trailed and he walked stolidly forwards, taking hold of Kiba and pulling him with him towards the patients' rooms. Kiba squirmed slightly in shock. "Naruto?! What-!?"

Sasuke really didn't want to talk about it. Voicing his thoughts was decidedly more difficult that locking them away in his mind. They reached the room soon enough and he pushed open the door, entering the sub-room divided from Naruto's by a glass wall. Sasuke released Kiba and watched as the boy slowly walked towards the glass. Kiba stared silently for a moment, lips dropping apart as he took in his friend's damaged form through the partition.

"Holy…God, Naruto," he said shakily. "What happened to him? Is he alright? There are so many bandages…" Kiba's voice sounded sickly as he voiced this.

"He's in a coma," Sasuke whispered, and it was all he had to get that out. He dropped his bag on the floor and stood next to Kiba. His hand lay flat on the glass, caressing the smooth material almost lovingly. His dark eyes ran over Naruto, checking for any changes since he'd last seen him. Other than a new IV bag that had replaced the old sometime during the night, he looked exactly the same. The monitor showed a constant heartbeat, and Naruto's breath ghosted gently into a mask that clung just above his ears and through his splayed, golden hair.

"The bandages…?" Kiba said.

"Several cuts and internal injuries, but the doctors say those will get better with time," Sasuke recited.

Kiba uncertainly put a hand on his shoulder. "A coma isn't too serious," he said in a careful tone. "I was in one too. I think listening to Hinata's voice was what –"

"No," Sasuke cut him off instantly. He didn't want to get false hope, and the doctor was correct in that. He wouldn't give it to them. His hopes lay with a mere five percent, and Sasuke didn't really believe in miracles anymore.

"It's a relapse, Kiba," Sasuke said to him. He leant his head against the back of his hand on the glass, his words gushing in condensed droplets and hiding his view. "Don't tell me otherwise," he said. "Five percent…just five percent…"

Kiba closed his mouth sadly. They stood together, staring through the glass.

"Is there anything we can do to help him?"

"No. Nothing."

'"_What would you do if I were the one lying in that bed? Could you be like Hinata?"'_

'_Hinata could wake Kiba,' _Sasuke thought, fingers whitening on the glass._ 'But I…I can't do anything.'_

It was Kiba that stopped Neji from putting Sasuke into a hospital bed as well, an hour later when they arrived at the hospital. When the Hyuuga was calm but still disgruntled, Sasuke put on one of the two pairs of scrubs and went into the same room as Naruto. He sat at a thoroughly sterilised chair next to his bed and the beeping monitor.

From the corner of his eye he could see the others talking on the other side of the glass, but blatantly ignored it for now. He hesitantly stroked a hand across Naruto's cheek, fixed the mask a bit, and let his hand slide down to rest on the blonde's own. No reaction.

"Everyone's here," Sasuke told him. "It's bit rude, dobe, to just lay there when everyone came to see you," he said in a fake, light voice. How he missed the scathing remarks that should follow. He sighed deeply and caressed the hand, glad to find it wasn't as cold as last time.

"You know…" Sasuke started quietly. He shifted. "I have to wonder. What is it that you want, Naruto?" He closed his eyes, feeling guilt bubble at the sense that this was not the time to ask such a question, even though Naruto couldn't hear.

"I know you tried to kill yourself before," he murmured. "I wouldn't have believed it. I knew you well enough, didn't I? You who are always happy, always grinning and there for everyone. You loved me and your family, and hated no one. It was my assumption." He nuzzled Naruto's hand and stared at his face, letting Naruto's fingers cup his cheek. "What was I thinking, to make you agree to my hate for Itachi?" he said. "My mistake, to think that I could think for you."

Indeed, he'd always thought Naruto was as transparent as film. Of course Sasuke knew what Naruto was feeling. Whether he was annoyed, sad, oblivious, happy. His emotions were as easy to read as whatever flicker was playing across his face at that point in time. That was what Sasuke would love to think. But to a person that now was in a situation Sasuke never would've imagined, Sasuke had to wonder, whether Naruto wanted to wake up to him.

Whether the Naruto now, was who he knew, or still someone he'd never understand…

"I want to ask…_what do you want, Naruto?_"

_Beep…beep…beep…_

Sasuke glanced at the machine and his lips loosened slightly. The steady rhythm was lulling. With some wonder, he thought, _'I'm hearing his heart.' _Then he scowled internally, because he shouldn't need some instrument to let him do that – he should understand the blonde without it. Nonetheless, he listened to the constant beeps, punctuated by continuous droning. One day, he'd understand Naruto completely.

'_Should it be going that fast?' _he realized suddenly.

He turned and looked at the screen and the numbers darting across it. He wasn't sure what a normal heart rate was. But he knew that it didn't increase exponentially.

_80…83…87…95…104…_

"What!" Sasuke cursed loudly. From outside the others heard and Shikamaru was quickly trying to get into scrubs with their help. Sasuke stood up and leaning forwards, pressed his hand down on the green button next to the bed a few times, hoping that maybe there was just a problem with the machine or that it was just a minor inconsistency. That was when Naruto screamed.

Sasuke turned his head over his shoulder and with mixed feelings saw Naruto's eyes were open for the first time in what seemed to be an age. But they were glazed with pain and then he screamed again, squeezing them shut and his body and limbs writhing underneath the sheets.

"Stop, STOP, AAAAH!" He clawed at the tubes on his arms and ripped them away, splattering blood. He began to tremble throughout his frame, convulsing violently and not recognising Sasuke. Doctors and nurses surrounded them and Sasuke was shoved to a corner, watching through widened eyes at the pain and confusion flashing across Naruto's face.

"What happened?" one doctor demanded from Sasuke.

"His heart rate…" Sasuke began mumbling, looking past him. He stopped himself from running to the sobbing boy on the bed and said, "His heart rate started going up. Over 100 in a few seconds."

"Impossible," the doctor said quickly as his eyes ran over the screen. "He had nothing wrong with his heart other than that one time yesterday, and it wasn't the same problem. We've been doing constant checks everyday. It's been normal."

"The last time you checked was last night, anything could change!" Sasuke said, suddenly horribly angry and disorientated. Naruto's shouts were dying down to whimpers but from what he could hear, the monitor was still beeping abnormally fast. Sasuke glared at the man in front of him.

The doctor's face was half covered by a mask, but his eyes visibly became confused and he said, "Last night? We don't do our check-ups at night except in emergencies."

"But his liquids were changed," Sasuke said, unable to hide his leaking infuriation. Both he and the doctor froze.

"We never changed any liquids," the doctor said, disbelievingly. Then he ran around the bed and grabbed the liquids from the stand that Naruto had knocked over in his frenzy. He gave a high cry as he straightened up with them, and Sasuke watched as though it were a film. The other doctors looked at the bag in his hands and cursed.

'_Itachi wants to kill him.' _

While Sasuke had been sleeping on the hospital bench last night, Itachi had slipped past and switched Naruto's medication.

* * *

Ibiki arrived on the scene three hours after Naruto had been rushed to the Intensive unit. When Sasuke saw him, he instantly remembered the unequivocal threat that the large man had said the first time they met. How maybe it'd be better if Naruto never woke up. The way Ibiki's eyes glistened somewhat guiltily told Sasuke that the man remembered what he'd said too.

"I am, ultimately, a suspect," was the first thing he conceded to them when he stood before them in his knee high boots. "Those words, I assure you, are not meant to mock what has happened," he said as earnestly as he could in his grave voice. "But it means that to clear myself…I am more determined than ever to solve this case."

This was the first time the others had seen Ibiki and he introduced himself formally to them. Unlike Sasuke, they were a bit more accepting of the large man's presence, even if Sasuke noticed they were containing themselves a carefully. Sasuke was tempted to tell Ibiki all about Itachi, and maybe even explain back all the way to even his family's murder. He didn't. He almost did, and Ibiki knew it. He said only one thing to Ibiki, and it was half a lie, half sincere.

"I'll gladly accept your help."

Ibiki would retreat, just a bit, if Sasuke accepted his interference. Lose some suspicion, and maybe not question him and pressure him. God knows he was under enough. Ibiki smiled eerily.

"Glad to be of service."

The double doors to the Intensive unit eased open and a doctor came through, smiling tiredly. Sasuke recognised the eyes to be the same as the man who'd learnt about the false IV bags with him.

Neji and Shikamaru straightened while Chouji and Lee got up from the bench. Kiba had been forced by the nurses to go back to his own room.

"What is Uzumaki's condition?" Ibiki asked him.

"The bad news," the doctor said, "is that he is extremely exhausted from all the transfusions and stress. The good news, is that he is out of his coma." Sasuke's eyes widened in shock and relief flooded like warmth to the edges of his fingers.

"How?" Ibiki questioned the doctor. "I was told someone had tried to kill him by switching his liquids. Not save him."

"It was pure chance. Naruto Uzumaki is extremely lucky," the doctor said warmly. "It seems the IV bag was taken from another room further down the hallway. The change in medication could have easily killed him. The pain forced him from his comatose, and the chance he could've died afterwards was just as even as the chance he would recover and stay awake. Despite his weakened body, he survived…it isn't anything I've ever seen before. He fought like no other."

"That's him," Sasuke murmured. He could've laughed out loud, maybe even hugged the doctor, he was so elated.

As if knowing what Sasuke was going to ask next, the doctor told them, "I'm afraid we won't let any visitors in until he is a bit more stronger. He fell asleep while we were saving him. We don't want to take any risks. And," he said with a glance at Ibiki, "we will increase security for Naruto Uzumaki, so rest assured."

'_This is what you owe him Itachi,' _Sasuke thought triumphantly. He would not go so far as to say Itachi saved Naruto, but it was an ironic twist that had his intentions completely warped. _'For everything that you've done to us, it's turned back on you.'_

* * *

For the moment, nothing could describe the happiness that Sasuke felt at Naruto's upcoming recovery. The only comparison he could strike would be the anticipation he felt at seeing him again soon. Naruto, completely healthy, with clear, bright, blue eyes instead of glazed pain.

But firstly, he had to survive this little conference they were having with Ibiki.

The man was a sadist. Sasuke had confirmed that before he'd even heard Ibiki speak the first time. He was downright terrifying. No one should have that many scars and teeth that sharp, they were as bad as Kisame's. He was insane too, and this was confirmed in the first minute of their conference, when Ibiki demanded an extremely strong coffee before dumping more than ten teaspoons of sugar in it.

Sasuke wondered why this 'conference' was happening in a little, pink themed cafeteria.

Ibiki sipped his coffee turned sugar, and said absently, "It is inconspicuous, is it not?" From beside Sasuke, Neji, Shikamaru, Lee and Chouji sweat-dropped. Sasuke stopped himself from gagging at the already sweetened tea the waitress gave him. The place was quite empty, true enough, but how could it be _inconspicuous_ when six men were sitting in a café that was valentines themed all year round? Yeah, maybe he should bring Naruto here one day.

Ibiki searched in the pockets of his large coat for a few seconds before finding what he was looking for. He threw the stapled wad of paper onto the middle of the table.

"_Those_", he said, "would be the profiles of the Akatsuki. I had already been assigned to their case before this one, but when this came up, I was given both because they were connected." He showed them a list of crossed out names which they observed silently. Sasuke noticed that Itachi's name was at the bottom of the list, as though it had only recently been added. Zetsu's name and the boy who had attacked Sasuke outside his mansion wasn't there at all, and Sasuke suspected that there were slight inaccuracies in who was still living. By now, Sasori and Hidan were probably dead as well.

"My targets were dying off one by one," Ibiki said lowly, and his eyes showed displeasure at the fact his effort into researching the members steadily became useless. "Nothing bad, _of course_, but I must remember that justice is to be done by authorities, and not amongst…_rogues_." Sasuke narrowed his eyes, and Neji did the same next to him.

"Oh. Am I offending you?" Ibiki grinned. "I—"

"No," Sasuke said shortly. "We agree with what you say."

"We abide by the law," Lee put in airily, and none of them commented at the sparkles. Ibiki frowned. If they were not going to give any extra input, then this meeting wasn't going to help him at all.

"Have you heard from your brother?"

Sasuke stiffened. "No."

"Since he attacked Uzumaki?"

Ahh, clever. The others gave them barely readable looks and Sasuke said lightly, "We do not know if that was Itachi. But," he said when Ibiki looked ready to argue, "I guarantee I'll notify you immediately if he contacts me." Ibiki watched him carefully, then loosened and sat back.

"I suppose I should ask first…is there anything you would _like_ to tell me? Anything that I should know, regarding this case?" he put forward.

"Your data is inaccurate," Sasuke said bluntly. He looked at Shikamaru and the genius took the papers from the table.

"I will update these notes and send them back to you," Shikamaru said. "Most of the information isn't relevant anymore, since we should only be concerned with who is _left_. That should be Kisame and Itachi."

"And a boy who attacked me before I got back to the mansion…that day," Sasuke said. _'Or, he might already be dead for failing,'_ he thought darkly.

"What of Inuzuka Kiba's hospitalization?" Ibiki asked.

"Irrelevant."

"Any ideas then, who _actually_ attacked Uzumaki?"

"Nothing sure."

"Would you happen to know anything regarding Akatsuki's purpose?"

"That is not necessary to this particular case," Sasuke said coldly. Ibiki backed off and asked a different question.

"Then, what is Itachi's purpose?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth and lowered his gaze. "That guy…" he said. "I do not know how he thinks."

'_He is someone…who kills the people he loves.'_

Family.

'_He steals away the people I love.'_

Naruto.

'_And then, finally…'_

"Yes," Sasuke uttered delicately. "I can't understand why he does what he does."

"Might I question your relationship with your brother?"

Sasuke glared at him and Ibiki grinned back. "We do not get along," he said. "He has control of our family's company since I am not old enough to own any part. I disagree with his business antics. He's rarely at home and I don't know what he gets up to other than work. Since our parent's deaths, we rarely talk to each other except when it is necessary."

"Your parents were murdered."

"Yes."

"That case was never solved. You were…I believe, 7, and your brother was 12," Ibiki recalled. "I was one of the investigators in that case," he added. "What is interesting though…is that I can think of several places where it was extremely similar to _this_ case. For example, the person who rang—"

"I might have some ideas that would help if that case was to be re-opened," Sasuke said. "I'd have to discuss them with you another time though."

"Much appreciated," Ibiki replied. The interrogator leant forwards, across the desk. "You never debated," Ibiki breathed lowly, "Itachi's name on that list."

Sasuke lifted his gaze from the table with a deliberate slowness, and met Ibiki's eyes without flinching. "I would think," Sasuke said, "that that matter is now…indisposed."

Ibiki frowned slightly. "What do you mean, Sasuke Uchiha?"

Sasuke checked his watch and stood up, gathering his coat from the back of the seat. His phone vibrated in the pocket as he put it on.

"What I mean," he said, "is that Itachi's guilt or innocence in this no longer matters. You and I both cannot understand how he thinks. The law does not punish an insane man." Then as shock painted across the faces of those he left behind, Sasuke pushed open the doors of the café and stepped into the snowy alley.

Itachi's record was tainted beyond doubt now, he thought as he trudged into the main street. He pulled his hood over his head as a man passed him. But, Sasuke would stop Ibiki from finding out about he and Naruto's own involvement. He took out his phone.

_This game will end. _

_I will play with you properly from now on. Both of us are out of pieces. Just us left, isn't it? Find me, little brother, and it'll be over. Your lover is dead. I think I've won already._

The letters twisted and Sasuke gazed solemnly at them. A part of his mind registered that he'd left the others with Ibiki.

'_Just us left.' _

Naruto wasn't one of Itachi's pieces anymore. Sasuke could go back into the café with this, but he felt like going to the hospital to see Naruto.

'_And then…finally…'_

Sasuke left without going back to the café.

'…_He will destroy my last loved one. Himself.'_

* * *

Love you all too. I will be back, but in the meantime, I go and catch up on manga. I'm finding the NaruHina development to be a wtf moment. SasuNaru must live!

Michiyami.

--

Gasp. That is the authoress.


End file.
